Sanctuary to host youth and family fishing photo contest

June 4, 2013

Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, in partnership with the Sportfishing Conservancy, will host the 2013 Sanctuary Classic – a free, summer-long fishing photo contest designed to promote sustainable recreational angling in national marine sanctuaries. The nationwide contest opens on June 8, World Oceans Day, and ends on Labor Day, September 2, 2013.
                           
The Sportfishing Conservancy will award weekly prizes for photos that show fishing in a national marine sanctuary. Additional prize scholarships will be awarded for the four pictures that best exemplify youth fishing, family fishing or conservation in a sanctuary. As this is a photo contest, catch-and-release is encouraged and all participants are asked to follow The Sportfishing Conservancy’s best practices guidelines.

“By focusing on photographs, we’re able to encourage angling participation while promoting the joy of ethical catch-and-release fishing,” said Tom Raftican, president of The Sportfishing Conservancy.

 “Recreational fishing is a memorable way for children and families to experience the sanctuary,” said Sean Morton, sanctuary superintendent. “Learning about fishing rules and proper techniques for catch and release helps foster a sense of responsibility for our marine environment.”

This is the second year of the Sanctuary Classic. Additional support for the event is being provided by national and local partners, including: National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, The Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, The Sportfishing Conservancy, NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, NOAA’s Fisheries Service and West Marine.

For information on the 2013 Sanctuary Classic and how to enter, visit: www.sanctuaryclassic.org.

Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary protects 2,900 square nautical miles of critical marine habitat, including coral reef, hard bottom, sea grass meadows, mangrove communities and sand flats, as well as shipwrecks and maritime heritage resources. NOAA and the state of Florida manage the sanctuary. Visit us at http://floridakeys.noaa.gov, find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

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