Ministry of Fisheries Photography Competition

Ministry of Fisheries Photography Competition

The Ministry of Fisheries nationwide photography competition was launched today, Monday 22 December, and we’re calling for your best shots!

Following the success of last year’s inaugural event, the 2009 competition will once again celebrate New Zealanders’ connection with the sea.

Participants are invited to take photos of events, scenes, and experiences which help to create a visual record of our distinctive fishing culture.

“The competition will celebrate the special relationship we have with the sea. Fishing has long been an important part of our heritage and our identity as a nation. The competition will also raise awareness of the aquatic biodiversity and sustainable fishing practices within New Zealand,” says Ministry of Fisheries Chief Executive, Wayne McNee.

Category winners, as well as the overall winner, will each receive vouchers for $1000 worth of photography gear.

There are four categories participants can enter:

AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS – best shot of an underwater ecosystem

CUSTOMARY – best shot of tangata whenua gathering or harvesting kaimoana, kaimoana being prepared for a customary gathering

RECREATIONAL – best shot of person(s) fishing for food or fun

COMMERCIAL – best shot of commercial fishing in action

Judging will take place in March 2009 and the winners will be invited to a special presentation in Wellington. Winning and runner-up images will be displayed in an online exhibition.

Judges include Ross Giblin from Wellington’s Dominion Post; Athol McCredie, Curator of Photography at Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa; and Simon Woolf, a well-known Wellington photographer.

Entrants can learn more about the competition and enter online on the Ministry’s website: fish.govt.nz

The competition closes Saturday, February 28, 2009 and winners will be announced mid-March 2009.

ENDS

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