Reef Week 2026
Marine Megafauna & Habitat Photo Contest
Over $6,000 worth of cash and prizes
Celebrate Belize’s reef, roots, and remarkable marine life through the lens of conservation.
MarAlliance invites divers, fishers, ocean enthusiasts, and community members to take part in our MarAlliance Reef Week 2026 Marine Megafauna & Habitat Underwater Photo Contest, highlighting Belize’s iconic marine species and the habitats that sustain them, captured ethically and in their natural state.
2026 Theme: Fi We Reef, Fi We Roots: Connecting Communities, Empowering Youth. This year’s theme celebrates the deep connection between Belize’s reef and our heritage, and the important role that communities and youth play in protecting marine ecosystems for future generations.
Your images help showcase why marine megafauna and healthy habitats are essential to the resilience of the Belize Barrier Reef System
Contest Categoies
All photos must be taken in Belizean waters and show marine life and habitats in their natural, undisturbed condition. No handling, baiting, or interference is permitted.
Best Megafauna
Species Photograph
- Sharks
- Rays
- Sea Turtles
- Groupers
Best Marine
Habitat Photograph
- Coral Reefs
- Seagrass Meadows
- Mangrove Ecosystems
Prizes
Best Megafauna Species Photograph
1st Place: BZ $1,000 Cash (Turtle Inn) + Two Night Stay for Two at Ray Caye Resort near Placencia
2nd Place: BZ $500.00 Cash (Turtle Inn) + $100.00 Gift Certificate from GS Com + $100.00 Gift Certificate from MNM Hardware & Service Station
3rd Place: BZ $300.00 Cash (RF&G Insurance Company Ltd.) + Gift Basket from Santiago Castillo Ltd.
Best Marine Habitat Photograph
1st Place: BZ $1,000 Cash (Turtle Inn) + Two Night Stay for Two at Blue Belize Boutique B&B in Punta Gorda
2nd Place: BZ $500.00 Cash (Turtle Inn) + Snorkeling for Two with Splash Dive Center
3rd Place: BZ $300.00 Cash (RF&G Insurance Company Ltd.) + Gift Basket from Belize Chamber of Commerce & Industry
All winners will receive a MarAlliance Swag Gift Set
Who Can Enter
- Open to Belizean nationals only
- Must be 18 years or older
- Photos must be taken in Belizean waters
- Entries must be original work
- Ethical, non-invasive interaction with marine life is required
How To Enter
- Submit up to two (2) underwater photos
(Maximum: one photo per category)
Photo Guidelines
- High-resolution images (300 dpi or greater)
- File format: JPEG or PNG
- Minor edits allowed (color correction, cropping)
- No heavy manipulation or AI-generated elements
- No watermarks, logos, or identifying marks
Submit Your Entry
Include With Each Submission:
– Participant’s name
– Contact phone number
– Contest category
– Location (general reef/site name)
– Species name
– Date of photo
– Camera or phone model
– Short caption (1–2 sentences)
Submission Deadline: Friday, March 13, 2026
Winners Announced: Friday, March 20, 2026
Image Ownership, Rights & Usage:
Submitted photos must be the original work of the participant. By entering, participants confirm they own full rights to the image and that the photo is not submitted on behalf of someone else without permission. Any entry found to violate this will be disqualified. Participants also grant MarAlliance non-exclusive rights to use submitted images for conservation, education, and outreach purposes, with full credit given to the photographer.
Thanks to Our Sponsors
This contest is proudly supported by partners committed to protecting Belize’s marine ecosystems and empowering communities.
Platinum Sponsor: Turtle Inn – A Francis Ford Coppola Hideaway
Gold Sponsors: Ray Caye Island Resort, Blue Belize Boutique B&B, and RF&G Insurance Co. Ltd.
Corporate Sponsors: Splash Dive Center, GS COM, MNM Hardware and Service Station, Santiago Castillo Ltd., Belize Tourism Board, Belize Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BCCI), and McNab Visual Strategies