The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, in partnership with Wildlife Forever, has launched its 25th Anniversary Fish Art Contest. Since 1997, the contest has grown into an internationally recognized youth conservation program, drawing thousands of entries each year from across the country.
Students in kindergarten through twelfth grade can compete in this free contest for a chance to win state and national honors and prizes.
“Fish Art started as an idea to celebrate the state fish of Minnesota, the walleye. Today, students from all over the world participate to learn about fish, water resources and conservation. We continue to see lives changed where participation in the Fish Art contest serves as building blocks for lifelong stewardship of natural resources,” said Pat Conzemius, President and CEO of Wildlife Forever.
One first place winner and one runner up will be selected for each grade bracket (kindergarten through third grade, fourth through sixth grade, seventh through ninth grade and tenth through twelfth grade), one for illustrating the best freshwater fish species and one for the best saltwater fish species. All first-place winners will advance to the National Competition to be judged for top prizes, such as the Best of Show. The deadline to enter is Feb. 28, 2023.
To enter, students from Florida should submit their entry at Wildlife Forever – Florida Art, consisting of the following:
- An original piece of artwork featuring any fish including one or more of the following Florida native species from the same category:
- Category 1 – Freshwater: largemouth bass, striped bass, black crappie, bluegill, redear sunfish, spotted sunfish, channel catfish, florida gar, chain pickerel, bowfin.
- Category 2 – Saltwater: snook, redfish, spotted seatrout, flounder, tarpon, mahi-mahi, Spanish mackerel, hogfish, queen snapper, black grouper.
- A piece of creative writing, no longer than one page, about the chosen species (required for grades 4-12).
- A Florida State-Fish Art Contest entry form.
Florida Prizes:
- First place winners in the 10-12 grade bracket will receive 10 T-shirts printed with their artwork to give to family and friends from our partner The Florida Nomad and the shirts will also be available for sale on their website.
- The two first place winners from each grade bracket, from each category will have their artwork displayed in FWC’s freshwater or saltwater regulations guide.
- All first-place winners will have their artwork displayed at the FWC headquarters in Tallahassee.