Ocean Conservation (Impact) Photographer of the Year 2022, RF2 - Oceanographic

Finalist Conservation (Impact) Photographer of the Year

Rafael Fernandez Caballero Spain

35°57'00.0"N 5°36'00.0"W

"It was a very sad moment when we saw this sperm whale entangled by a ghost net," says photographer Rafael Fernandez Caballero. "The whale was trying to breath, struggling. When I approached, to see if there was anything I could do to help, the whale dived and disappeared out of sight. Strong winds and waves forced us to return to shore. The whale wasn't seen again, despite a lot of people and authorities looking for it."