Images of a catch of plastic and undesirable debris salvaged from the sea bed and a close encounter with a jelly fish won the 2010 Marine Photographic Competition held by Din l-Art Ħelwa.

The competition is held every year to promote the beautiful but fragile marine environment of the Maltese islands.

Stanley Farrugia Randon, DLĦ council member who organised the competition, said a record 43 entries were received this year for the two categories. The first category was open to examples of pollution of the sea or any other negative effects of human activity on our waters and coastal environment. In the second category, photographers were encouraged to capture the beauty of underwater life on film.

Mario Micallef won the underwater pollution category with the eye opening photograph of the catch of plastic and undesirable debris, which he titled Better Off Recycled.

A close up encounter Andrè Raine had with a jelly fish specimen known as cotylorhiza tuberculata won the other category.

The photographs are on display at 133, Melita Street, Valletta.

DLĦ continues to campaign against the negative effects which inappropriate and unsustainable fishing methods have on the fish population of the Maltese islands. Continuous dredging of the seabed and uncontrolled use of fine mesh nets continue to deplete fish stock, while illegal fishing of small, immature tuna and swordfish are depleting these important sources of healthy food, the NGO says.

A marine biodiversity photographic exhibition organised by DLĦ in connection with the International Year of Biodiversity, can be viewed at its headquarters in Valletta till October 25.