The Audiovisual Contest MARE distributes 26 prizes valued at 10,000 euros

The awards ceremony of the fifth edition of the Balearic Sea Conservation Audiovisual Contest, MARE, was held yesterday, November 15th at 7:30 pm in the Multifunctional Room of Es Mercadal.

Nearly 1,400 photographs were submitted to the fifth edition of the MARE contest, from over 200 entries, distributed among three participation profiles: youth, amateur adults, and expert adults. A total of 10,000 € was distributed in 26 prizes in the form of financial support and underwater equipment. In addition, 6 honorable mentions were awarded: 3 for "Marine Protected Areas" and 3 for "Water Quality". The winning photographs will be part of the traveling exhibition that will tour the Balearic Islands during the year 2025.

This year's awards ceremony took place in Menorca, the councilor of Es Mercadal, Joan Palliser, noted that "a municipality like Mercadal, which covers much of the north coast of Menorca, where we find 3 bays: Fornells, Addaia, and Sanitja; and some beaches and unparalleled maritime landscapes, apart from being closely linked with the North Menorca Marine Reserve, could do nothing but support MARE in the celebration of this Gala." For his part, Toni Periano, Insular Director of Sustainable Projects of the Consell Insular de Menorca, pointed out that "when the environmental challenges facing our sea are becoming more evident, each of your commitments takes on a unique relevance. This contest is not just a showcase of artistic talent, but also a powerful call to conservation and respect for the natural world."

"All the images of the contest make it possible to create a collective view of the sea that surrounds us. Thanks to all the participants – without your generosity we would not know what is hidden under the water - and to the organizations that year after year make it possible," added the contest organizers.

Expert adult participation profile: "Cormorant and Jack" by Victor de Valles Ibañez (MARE Animalia); "Sea Daisy" by Nestor Carda Aroca (MARE Botanica); "Views of Ibiza" by Ainhoa Ezkurra (MARE Denuntiare); "The Guardian from the Relics of Ses Llumetes" by Pedro Riera Llompart (MARE Sapiens) and "Save the Posidonia" by Claudio Palmisano (MARE Nostrum).

Amateur adult participation profile: "Feather Duster" by Ivan Ruiz Llobera (MARE Animalia); "Antennas" by Alex Morell (MARE Botanica); "Handle Craftsman" by Fernando Estarellas Calderon (MARE Sapiens); "Post-mortem Fishing" by César Vicente-García (MARE Denuntiare) and "Seahorse" by José Salmerón Pérez (MARE Nostrum).

Youth participation profile: "Spiny Forest" by Cati Sans Tous (10 years old), "Dragon Wings" by Joan Sans Tous (13 years old), "New Life" by Pablo Ángel Wenham Martínez (15 years old), "Barnacles" by Luna Mas Escandell (13 years old) and "Moray Symbiosis" by Kenzo Segura Barajas (12 years old).

Honorable Mention Marine Protected Areas awarded to: "Crossing Glances" by Tony Juan; "Now You See Me, Now You Don't" by Tato Damiani and "Under the Foam" by Xavier Mas Ferrà. For the Honorable Mention Water Quality awarded to: "Oasis of Colors, in the Balearic Sea" by Pedro Riera Llompart; "Sandy Passage" by Victor de Valles Ibañez and "Dialogues at the Twilight of Jellyfish" by Theo Belafonte.

MARE Popularis: The public's choice category continues this year due to the success of the previous edition because it allows for more creative paths within photography." The photograph that received the most votes (a total of 350) is "At the End of Summer" by Miquel Gomila. This category had a total of 3,376 people who with their vote decided the winning photograph.

The jury for the fifth edition included Debora Morrison, a conservator with more than 25 years of experience in the management and care of marine animals and in the conservation of the marine environment. She is the director of the Palma Aquarium Foundation. Pep Bonet, a renowned photographer specializing in photojournalism and documentary projects, brought his expert eye and commitment to telling honest and impactful visual stories. And the third member of the Jury, Rafael Fernández Caballero, an underwater photographer and recently awarded winner of the Ocean Photographer of the Year 2024, brought his unique perspective and passion for capturing life under water to assess the impressive images submitted this year.