Ocean: Views competition deadline almost here: WWF urges Kiwis to get creative for a good cause

Kiwis have just two weeks to submit their creative entry to WWF-New Zealand's Ocean:Views competition, and WWF is calling on New Zealanders across the country to dive into their creative side, and share their story of what the ocean means to them at www.wwf.org.nz/oceans.

The competition deadline is midnight, 15 April 2011.

Ocean: Views calls for people to submit creative works in any of four categories - music, creative writing, short film, and visual art (including, but not limited to, photography, illustration, graphic design and multimedia) - celebrating New Zealand's oceans and reflecting on New Zealanders' unique connection to them. Collectively, the entries will form a unique expression of New Zealanders' view of the waters that surround our islands.

The grand prize is a trip for two to the Pacific Islands to witness ocean wildlife from whales to seabirds and turtles that travel through New Zealand's vast oceans on their epic migrations.

Some of New Zealand's most creative people have lent their support to the WWF cause, by expressing what the ocean means to them to encourage competition entries, from award-winning author Bill Manhire and musicians including Ladyhawke and Hollie Smith, through to visual artists Sarah Larnach and Dick and Otis Frizzell. (News eds: images of one the creatives attached, more available on request.)

One member of the Ocean: Views judging panel, award-winning author Lloyd Jones, recalls spending much of his childhood exploring New Zealand's abundant and beautiful shorelines. In his story to inspire people to enter Ocean:Views, he writes: "As a child, I remember crouching above a rock pool crammed with layers of life - a tiny fish worked its way into a finger groove of rock, a crab sank into the mud and waited - while I pondered whether I would be a wrecker or custodian of that world. Whenever we look for a metaphor that speaks of the soul we turn to the sea. We marvel at it. We play in it. We eat from it. As much as it sustains us, we need to sustain it."

This sentiment is an undercurrent for many of the competition entries received by WWF so far. Underlining the gulf between New Zealanders' views on our oceans and the reality of current protection levels for our seas, Department of Conservation statistics released by WWF this week confirmed just 0.3% of New Zealand's marine environment is fully protected in marine reserves. This compares to 19.03% of New Zealand's land with equivalent protection. WWF-New Zealand is calling on the Government to safeguard life in New Zealand's oceans by creating a comprehensive and representative national network of 'no take' marine reserves covering 30% of New Zealand's marine environment.

Through Ocean: Views WWF is appealing to New Zealanders' creativity and passion to bring about greater protection for New Zealand's oceans, as WWF-New Zealand Executive Director Chris Howe explains. "Our seas are in the safest hands when New Zealanders feel an increased sense of ownership. The best means of achieving this is to focus not on what we've lost but by celebrating what we have," says Mr. Howe. "New Zealanders love the sea, and the majority want significant protection for our oceans , so we can continue to enjoy what we have today."

Ocean: Views is free to enter, and open to all New Zealanders or New Zealand residents. Download a competition entry kit and submit your entry online at: www.wwf.org.nz/oceans.

ENDS

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