Friday, February 27, 2009

Bronze in the Our World Underwater International Photo & Video Competition

Last weend took place the Our World Underwater International Photo & Video Competition in Chicago where I won the Bronze prize in the Environment & Conservation Category with this photo of a unfortunate green sea turtle caught in a abandoned fishing net. I took this images while diving the Chikuzen wreck in the British Virgin Islands.

During last years I have been seeing an obvious decay in the coral reefs due to several factors, like overfishing, global warming, dynamite fishing, drifting nets, etc.I have been capturing this situations with my camera to show the negative effects we have over the Ocean and spread the word about environmental issues. I consider this award a recognition for that effort.

Seeing this turtle was a particularly sad experience. Turtles, as reptiles they are, they need to go to the surface to breathe air. So when they are caught in a net the enter in a panic situation and drown. This turtle still had air in its lungs and there was a another turtle swimming around, maybe trying to understand what happened to his friend…

 

No comments: