The Australasian Institute for Maritime Archaeology (AIMA) is proud to launch its inaugural Shipwreck Photography Competition. The competition is aimed at supporting the Australian and New Zealand dive tourism industry this summer by encouraging divers to discover and enjoy their shipwreck heritage without negatively impacting sites. The competition will run from 1 December 2009 to 31 March 2010. AIMA President, Ross Anderson said ‘There are some great prizes for the winners of each category in each division with a fantastic best in show prize co-sponsored by Mike Ball Dive Expeditions and AIMA.”

Categories in the competition are: Shipwreck & Nature; Shipwreck Underwater and Divers; and Shipwreck above water. Entries under each category can be submitted by professionals, amateurs & school students. To be eligible for entry in the Australasian Institute for Maritime Archaeology (AIMA) 2010 shipwreck photography competition, all shipwrecks photographed must be in Australian or New Zealand waters.

The competition poster, terms and conditions & entry form are available on the AIMA website and also the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA) website. AIMA is non-profit organisation dedicated to the preservation of underwater cultural heritage and promotion of maritime archaeology in Australasia. As part of AIMA’s outreach program, members deliver maritime archaeology training courses in conjunction with the Nautical Archaeology Society (NAS UK) for people interested in documenting and preserving shipwreck heritage. The organisation also strongly supports Australia's ratification of the UNESCO 2001 Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage which encourages responsible non-intrusive access to our precious underwater cultural heritage.