Over the past few months, Blue4All has hosted a photography contest to raise awareness about marine protection amongst the wider public. The contest encouraged citizens across Europe to participate and reflect on their connection to the sea, by submitting up to three photographs that represent what marine protection means to them. People from many different countries and regions took part in the contest, highlighting the universal interest in our oceans.
The contest closed the 26th of August, and the many extraordinary entries were evaluated last week by an impartial international 5-member jury.
Four sea basin winners – from the North Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, the Baltic Sea and the Atlantic Ocean- have been selected. Congratulations to these impressive photographers for capturing such meaningful marine moments:
🔹 The North Sea: Francis Kerckhof with Sharing the Sea
🔹 The Baltic Sea: Piotr Balazy with The End of the Journey of the European Eel
🔹 The Atlantic Ocean: Vebjørn Karlsen with The Solution
🔹 The Mediterranean Sea: Julie Virginie Sferlazzo-Rouvier with Brotherhood
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Each winner will receive a copy of the 2026 Marine Protection Calendar as well as a bracelet made of recycled fishing nets, from the sustainable brand Bracenet.
In addition to the 4 winners of the competition, 26 other selected photographs will be showcased at our travelling exhibitions in multiple Marine Protected Areas (Blue4All Living Labs) and local events throughout Europe, starting with an exhibition in Petrovac Montenegro, on 25th September. Additionally, these photographs will be featured in the 2026 Blue4All Marine Protection Calendar. All the selected photographs and their details can be viewed here.
As we celebrate our winners and their remarkable photographs, we would like to note how this contest has shown that the sea holds immeasurable value for people everywhere. BLUE4ALL is a project that places stakeholders at the centre of our work to develop a socially sustainable blueprint platform for MPA management, and
...we were thrilled to see how this photography contest opened a window onto the impact and importance of marine environments to the communities around them.
All submitted photographs reflected participants’ concern, admiration, and deep engagement with their marine environments and underscored the importance of caring for and protecting these spaces through initiatives like Blue4All.
Thank you to all who participated in the contest. Let’s keep engaging with marine protection together!