Oceans of Life photography competition 2013 - in pictures

First prize and Oryx award went to Evening Stretch by Robert Tarr, showing Cape gannets in their breeding colony on Malgas Island, South Africa. This species has been heavily impacted by reductions in the fish stocks it feeds on Photograph: Rob Tarr/BirdLife South Africa Oceans of Life photo competition 2013

Storm Shelter by Laura Dyer, shows snow collecting around a black-legged kittiwake as it shelters on an iceberg, Spitsbergen, Norway. This photo won second prize Photograph: Laura Dyer/BirdLife South Africa Oceans of Life photo competition 2013

Third place: Gannet Attack by Allen Walker. Cape gannets dive into a ball of anchovies in the ocean near Port St Johns, just off South Africa’s famed Wild Coast Photograph: Allen D. Walker/BirdLife South Africa Oceans of Life photo competition 2013

Highly commended was Proposing Puffin by Johan Siggeson. A puffin with a flower in its beak on Fair Isle, Scotland Photograph: Johan Siggesson/BirdLife South Africa Oceans of Life photo competition 2013

Fading Away to Extinction by Peter Chadwick was highly commended. Cape gannets circle above an African penguin on Bird Island in South Africa’s Algoa Bay. African penguins have been in rapid decline in recent years due to shifting and declining fish stocks. A century ago there were likely more than 1 million off the coast of southern Africa – now they number in the low tens of thousands Photograph: Peter Chadwick/BirdLife South Africa Oceans of Life photo competition 2013

Highly commended - Charge of the Peppermint Shrimp, by William Goodwin. A diminutive peppermint shrimp about to rush the photographer’s lens from its redoubt in the bottom of a branching vase sponge on Lighthouse Atoll, Belize Photograph: William Goodwin/BirdLife South Africa Oceans of Life photo competition 2013

Stiff Wing Glide, by Bill Klipp was highly commended. A Pintado petrel glides over a glassy Southern Ocean off Antarctica Photograph: Bill Klipp/BirdLife South Africa Oceans of Life photo competition 2013

Frenzy by Graham Fenwick. Dusky, blacktip and bronze whaler sharks make short work of an anchovy baitball in the ocean near Port St Johns, South Africa. Highly commended Photograph: Graham Fenwick/BirdLife South Africa Oceans of Life photo competition 2013

Playing with Waves, by Philippe Moës. Cape fur seals play in giant waves off the Skeleton Coast, Namibia. One of the top 50 images in the BirdLife South Africa Oceans of Life photo competition 2013 Photograph: Philippe Moës/BirdLife South Africa Oceans of Life photo competition 2013

Displaying Fulmars by Teresa Nel. Northern fulmars displaying on Fair Isle, Scotland was also selected as one of the top 50 images in the competition Photograph: Teresa Nel/BirdLife South Africa Oceans of Life photo competition 2013

Humpback Harmony, by Jean Tresfon. A relaxed humpback whale in the ocean near Port St Johns, South Africa Photograph: Jean Tresfon/BirdLife South Africa Oceans of Life photo competition 2013

Salvin’s Albatross, by Craig Nash. A Salvin’s albatross gets up close and personal with a camera in the sea off Kaikoura, New Zealand. Most albatross species are threatened with extinction, many thousands dying each year after ingesting bits of plastic or being drowned on the hooks of longline fishing boat Photograph: Craig Nash. A Salvin/BirdLife South Africa Oceans of Life photo competition 2013

Black Tip at Dusk, by Allen Walker. An oceanic black tip shark eyeballs the photographer as the last rays of daylight disappear over the Aliwal Shoal on South Africa’s east coast Photograph: Allen Walker/BirdLife South Africa Oceans of Life photo competition 2013