Shane Gross
Better than Gold
A school of bigeye trevally, Seychelles, 2022
Category - Ocean
A school of bigeye trevally (Caranx sexfasciatus) swimming off the beach D’Arros Island at dawn, within a newly established marine protected area (MPA) in the Seychelles. Bigeye trevally are popular as game and food, and face threats from overfishing and habitat destruction. Here, the fish are large, and the population is flourishing because they are protected within the no-take marine park. This photo was taken on assignment for the Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF), which advocated for and now manages the MPA. My goal was to capture an image that shows why this area gained protection, highlighting the abundance and the hope it represents for biodiversity.
RUNNER-UP
11 mm f/3.5-4.5 Lens - 1/200 sec at f/16 ISO 500