DPG is pleased to announce the winners and finalists of the Fifth Annual World Oceans Day Photo Competition, jointly organized by the UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, World Ocean Network, World Festival of Underwater Images, IAEA Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre, and DPG. The judges were tasked with selecting the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place images from hundreds of entries in six categories: Clean Our Ocean, Above Water Seascapes, Human Interaction: Making a Difference, Underwater Life, Underwater Seascapes, and Youth Photographer. A 2018 World Oceans Day Theme winner was selected by the organizers.

Congratulations to the 2018 World Oceans Day Theme winner, Rosie Leaney; to the category winners, Shane Gross (Clean Our Ocean), Gabriel Barathieu (Above Water Seascapes), Grant Thomas (Human Interaction: Making a Difference), Marc Casanovas (Underwater Life), and Domenico Tripodi (Underwater Seascapes); and to all the runners-up. Unfortunately, the organizers felt the quality of the entries in the Youth category was insufficient to justify recognizing any images. The results were announced on World Oceans Day, Friday, June 8, 2018 at a reception at United Nations Headquarters in New York attended by several hundred delegates. The finalists and winners were announced by competition curator Ellen Cuylaerts, and photos were projected in large format.

The quality of the entries was very high once again, and the judges had a difficult task choosing the winners. However, the underrepresentation in the Youth category is a reminder that, as underwater photographers, we must maintain our resolve to capture the beauty of the oceans and the challenges they face all year round. Every day should be World Oceans Day!

The competition partners would like to thank Ellen Cuylaerts, as well as the judges: Lia Barrett, Adriana Basques, Darren Jew, Jerome Kim, David Salvatori, and Indra Swari W. The organizers congratulate all of the winners again and would like to thank everyone who participated. Thank you for sharing your work, and helping us convey the beauty, fragility and value of the oceans.

2018 World Oceans Day Theme Winner

© Rosie Leaney (Australia). 2018 World Oceans Day Theme Winner

Clean Our Ocean

© Shane Gross (Canada). Clean Our Ocean — Winner

© Pasquale Vassallo (Italy). Clean Our Ocean — 2nd Place

© Joerg Blessing (Germany). Clean Our Ocean — 3rd Place

Above Water Seascapes

© Gabriel Barathieu (Réunion, France). Above Water Seascapes — Winner

© Hendro Hioe (Indonesia). Above Water Seascapes — 2nd Place

© Sirachai Arunrugstichai (Thailand). Above Water Seascapes — 3rd Place

Human Interaction: Making a Difference

© Grant Thomas (UK). Human Interaction: Making a Difference — Winner

© Galice Hoarau (France). Human Interaction: Making a Difference — 2nd Place

© Anders Nyberg (Sweden). Human Interaction: Making a Difference — 3rd Place

Underwater Life

© Marc Casanovas (Spain). Underwater Life — Winner

© Simon Lorenz (Germany). Underwater Life — 2nd Place

© Lorenzo Mittiga (Italy). Underwater Life — 3rd Place

Underwater Seascapes

© Domenico Tripodi (Italy). Underwater Seascapes — Winner

© Geo Cloete (South Africa). Underwater Seascapes — 2nd Place

© Renee Capozzola (USA). Underwater Seascapes — 3rd Place