To recognize the United Nations declaring 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity, Project AWARE Foundation and SeaWeb’s Marine Photobank are calling for entries for the third “Ocean in Focus” Conservation Photography Contest. This features species in need of protection, the human impacts upon them and their environments, and the critical need to conserve biodiversity.

Photographers of all backgrounds and at all skill levels, from amateur to professional, can enter to win a Grand Prize package that includes US$500 cash as well as many marine conservation related gifts. Four other prizes packages will be available: three for honorable mentions and a “Biodiversity Award” for the submission that best highlights the need for biodiversity.

Scientists and conservationists are especially concerned about recent failures of legislators to protect marine species. During the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species meeting in March, short-term economic interests won out over scientific evidence that many marine species are in need of further protection, including endangered hammerhead sharks, oceanic whitetip sharks, red coral and bluefin tuna.

The organizers would also encourage participants to visit ARKive’s “Most Wanted” list to find out how you can help them catalog photographs of the more than 17,000 species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Marine Photobank will work with ARKive to find and share contest submissions that would help them meet their ambitious goal, to raise awareness of species conservation through imagery.

Deadline for photo submissions is August 31st, 2010.