WINNERS OF DIN L-ART HELWA 2009 MARINE PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION

Din l-Art Helwa Award has announced the winners of the 2009 Marine Photographic Competition, an annual event organized by the heritage organization as part of its Blue Campaign in order to raise awareness about the importance and state of the coastline and surrounding waters of the Maltese islands. This year a total of 36 entries were received, a record number, received from several diving schools, clubs, students, and lovers of the environment.

The winners this year were ‘No Registration under Water’, a most unusual entry for the marine degradation category by Joseph Azzopardi with his photograph of a dumped car lying as part of a wreck on the seabed at 35 metres. The Volkswagen 1943 can be found at Xatt l-Ahmar.

The winning entry for the second category, that best showing the beauty of underwater life, was ‘Tube Colour’ by Jo Formosa, an image capturing the Tube Worm species when open in full glory. The Sabella Spallanzanii, commonly known as the tube worm can grow up to 30cm, its colourful filaments reaching a diameter of between 20 and 30cm. It is found in the Mediterranean on rocky bottoms at depth ranging from a few metres to 60 metres.

The winners were presented with a prize of Euro 250 each by Edward Xuereb, Secretary General of Din l-Art Helwa and Dr. Stanley Frendo Randon who together with Joseph Chetcuti, long standing volunteer council members of the organisation, helped to organise the event.