Ministry of Fisheries photography exhibition opening

20 March 2008

Thirty-two images reflecting New Zealanders’ connection with the sea, from the Ministry of Fisheries inaugural photography competition, went on display in Wellington today.

The exhibition features the winning and highly commended entries of the competition as well as 24 selected images.

Minster of Fisheries, Jim Anderton, officially opened the exhibition and said the exhibition showed the enjoyment we take from our ocean resource and the livelihoods it sustains.

"So this is a very appropriate competition for the Fisheries Ministry to support.

"Its job is to manage our fishery so we can enjoy it now and tomorrow.

"Fishing is worth $1.2 billion a year to our economy - that's the value to the livelihoods of individual fishing folk who depend on the ocean's harvest for their own incomes.

"And more than that, it is a lifestyle for millions of us who enjoy catching a fish, and enjoy eating it.

"I think that's the excitement these photos capture."

The Wellington exhibition is open free of charge to the public at the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts from 20-30 March, 2008.

More than 250 entries were received for the competition.

Judges were Ross Giblin from Wellington’s Dominion Post, Athol McCredie, Curator of Photography at Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Auckland-based underwater photographer Darryl Torckler and Simon Woolf, director of Photography by Woolf.

You can see the exhibition at the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts, 1 Queens Wharf, Wellington from 20-30 March, 2008. http://nzafa.com/index.php