3rd Place Underwater Conservation

Dawn McDonald

"A Slow Death - Almost!"

A Note From Ocean Art: 

This photo highlights a hidden problem plaguing our oceans - ghost fishing, where lost or abandoned fishing gear continues to trap marine life. Ghost nets, derelict fishing gear left behind by the fishing industry, are a major contributor to this issue. Please consider supporting Ghost Diving, a leading non-profit organization whose mission is to remove these abandoned nets from our oceans.

The Story:

The dive on the F/V Patriot is a favorite as the wreck is typically teeming with life. It sits in the sand at 100feet, on Stellwagen Bank in Massachusetts. Every year however, ghost fishing nets get caught on the wreck trapping and killing animals, usually gray seals. In 2022 a team of local technical divers had removed a substantial amount of ghost net from the wreck, however another net got hung up over the winter of 2023. As I descended, I saw this little Spiny Dogfish trapped in the net. Thinking it was dead, I framed my shot and while taking the photo, suddenly saw its gills move! I quickly put down my camera and sought my buddy's help to cut him loose. While I held the dogfish, my buddy cut the net from around the little shark and we got him free. He hovered stunned for a moment, a deep indent around him from where the net had trapped him, and then swam off. A few feet away, there were in fact the remains of a Gray Seal, however I was elated to have saved this little shark.

Location:

The Wreck of F/V Patriot on Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, off the Coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts, USA

Equipment Used:

• Nikon D850
• Sigma 15mm 1:2.8 EX DG fisheye lens
• Nauticam housing
• 2 Sea & Sea YS-D3 strobes

Camera Settings:

• ISO 400 | f/6.3 | 1/160 sec