This year, over 6,000 pictures were entered by underwater photographers from 72 countries - but it s American photographer Kat Zhou that takes the top prize in the contest.
The Ocean Photographer of the Year is a celebration of our beautiful blue planet, as well as a platform to highlight the many plights it is facing.
Ocean photographers of all disciplines and experience levels – amateurs and professionals alike – are invited to submit their most impactful imagery
but heart breaking image of a sea turtle that has become entangled in abandoned fishing nets off the coast of sri lanka. it was taken by a german photographer simon lorenz who managed to cut the animal free after taking this picture. in my line of work i do see it quite often, unfortunately, that marine animals are trapped. it is painful to see because obviously we are, as a human, the cause of the underlying situation. so in this case, it s a mass of nets which fishermen use to catch fish, not turtles. and somehow this ghost net came adrift, or whatever happened to it. but we are the reason these animals are stuck in trash like that. that is simon who took the winning photograph. let s talk now to hannah rudd, who is a marine biologist and conservationist.
good morning. the good news is in that particular case, the turtle survived. simon rescued it after taking the picture. but heartbreaking to see it tangled up. absolutely. unfortunately, this is becoming more common in the world s oceans, particularly looking at ghost nets, discarded nets from commercial vessels that are left and they drift through the ocean and continue to fish for the rest of their lives. they might catch turtles, dolphins, other marine life. this one was lucky and thankfully there was a human to cut him out and let him live another day. him out and let him live another da . . . him out and let him live another da . . , ., ., him out and let him live another da. . , ., ., day. an incredible image and story. how important day. an incredible image and story. how important is day. an incredible image and story. how important is it day. an incredible image and story. how important is it we day. an incredible image and story. how important is it we look- day.