The Underwater Images Photo/Video Competition
Our Mission Statement: Inner space is a relatively new frontier for mankind that will open new horizons in science and medicine, as well as art and recreation. The purpose of the Underwater Images Photo/Video Competition is to raise the awareness of the ecological importance of preserving marine habitats that represent Nature's oldest and most stable living ecosystems. This will create more conscientious diving practices and generate new interests in the realm of marine environmental science and education.
See the 2009 winning images can be seen at www.uwimages.org
The Underwater Images Photo/Video Competition was founded in 1998 by Roger Roth with help from Mark Beatty as webmaster, as a non-profit, international competition that still donates ALL proceeds to marine conservation, preservation and educational purposes. Following the 2010 competition, we will have donated over $85,000 since our inception. Our main beneficiaries are as follows:Mahonia Na Dari ("Guardians of the Sea" in the local Talasea language) is a program which has been working to protect Papua New Guionea's abundant biodiversity by promoting the sustainable development of its biological and cultural resources. MND was established in 1996 as a result of a cooperative venture by the owners of Walindi Plantation Resort and several international governmental and non-governmental orgapnizations, including the European Union and the Nature Conservancy.
ProPeninsula is a conservation organization dedicated to empowering communities in Baja California, Mexico to protect and preserve their environment. Pro Peninsula is the coordinating body for the Grupo Tortuguero, or Sea Turtle Conservation Network, and through this program works to identify local marine conservation leaders and to support their conservation efforts on a local and regional level. Grupo Tortuguero was formed in 1998 to teach Mexican sea turtle fishermen about sustainability for sea turtles who in turn took what they learned to their respective communities to perpetuate this educational effort.Other beneficiaries have included:
The Ohio Council of Skin and Scuba Diving, Inc. Memorial Scholarship fund.MAST (Marine Archaeological Survey Team) which is an organization that sponsors education in Marine Archaeology. MAST also helps buoy shipwrecks in Lake Erie for preservation from anchor damage, as well as document and preserve the history of Great Lakes shipwrecks.
Diveheart whose purpose is to provide and support educational SCUBA diving and snorkeling experience programs that are open to any physically impaired child or adult in the hope of providing both physical and psychological therapeutic value to that person. 