Luminous “ghost net” wins prestigious photography award while shedding light on growing threat to mangrove swamps

This image of a luminous fishing net engulfing a mangrove in the dead of night is more than just an eerie yet interesting composition; it sheds light on the growing problem of “ghost gear,” discarded fishing equipment that’s polluting marine ecosystems and threatening wildlife.

Captured by Indian photographer Gaurav Patil, the image was taken near Nandgaon village, Maharashtra, south of Mumbai, and has just been announced the overall winner of this year’s Mangrove Photography Awards. Patil takes home the $1,000 (approximately £750 / AU$1,400) prize but, on a grander scale, has played a role in raising awareness of mangrove conservation.

“I have been watching ghost nets getting trapped in mangroves for the last several years, and I wanted to document it in an artistic manner to grab the attention of the viewers,” Patil told the Mangrove Action Project, the competition organizers.

Mangroves are critical coastal ecosystems that protect shorelines from extreme weather and erosion and serve as essential nurseries for marine life, but are facing a severe and growing threat from ghost nets.

These abandoned fishing nets physically entangle wildlife, alter local hydrology, and can break down into microplastics, which animals consume.

The photography competition aims to draw attention to these essential waterborne ecosystems, which experts say are at risk of collapse by 2050.

The organizers invite photographers to submit entries across a range of categories, including the relationship between locals and mangroves, stories of their conservation, and how they support wildlife.

Notable category winners at the 2026 awards included Lucas Gonçalves’ aerial depiction of the Tejipió River in Recife (Brazil) separating shrimp ponds forming a natural tapestry from a vast mangrove forest.

There was also Ryuhei Suguri’s (Indonesia) mesmerizing long exposure of a single mangrove below the star-filled night sky.

The 12th edition of the Mangrove Photography Awards saw over 5,000 entries from 87 countries, and you can see the entire winners gallery here.