Press Release

MONTEREY BAY NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY ANNOUNCES DIVING PHOTO CONTEST

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary announces a new diving photo contest for coastal and underwater enthusiasts starting on May 2 and ending on September 1, 2000. Contest winners will have their work prominately featured in a new brochure being developed by the Sanctuary and members of its Diver Partnership Program.

The Sanctuary is seeking amateur or professional photographs of dive sites, diving activities, marine life, kelp forests and other marine habitats in the Sanctuary. All photographic entries should be taken within the boundary of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary or the land areas bordering the Sanctuary. The winners will be announced on September 15, 2000.

"Divers have a unique perspective on the Sanctuary. They are able to visit and photograph areas of the Sanctuary that few others get to experience", says Patrick Cotter, Sanctuary Diving Supervisor. "We are excited to work cooperatively with the dive community to produce this new brochure welcoming divers to explore the Sanctuary's world class dive sites, while helping to protect the Sanctuary's incredible and diverse underwater resources."

Thousands of divers explore the Sanctuary every year. The Diver Partnership Program was created by the Sanctuary, with guidance from the diving community, to serve as a diverse forum for dive-related groups interested in exchanging information, developing education materials, participating in fun diving activities and events, and promoting stewardship of Sanctuary resources.

A complete listing of the photo contest rules and a photo contest entry form can be obtained from http:// montereybay.nos.noaa.gov/educate/divered.html or by contacting Patrick Cotter at mbnms_dpp@lobos.mbnms.nos.noaa.gov or (831) 647-4252.

The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is one of 12 marine sanctuaries administered by the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The Sanctuary extends from southern Marin County to Cambria in San Luis Obispo County, encompassing 300 miles of shoreline and 5,322 square miles of ocean. This remarkably productive coastal environment is home to numerous marine mammals, seabirds, fish, invertebrates and plants. Information on the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary may be found at http://montereybay.nos.noaa.gov