FISH ART CONTEST NATIONAL WINNERS ANNOUNCED

White Bear Lake, MN – The wait is over – Wildlife Forever and Title Sponsor Bass Pro Shops are thrilled to announce the 25th Anniversary Art of Conservation® Fish Art Contest National Winners. Judging took place on Friday, April 28th, with a panel of esteemed judges from around the country. Winners were chosen from over 4,500 entries from around the world.

“Seeing the incredible entries from thousands of students across the country and the world is truly inspiring. It is a powerful reminder of the importance of teaching our youth about the value of our natural resources and the need to protect them for generations to come,” said Addison Motta, Education and Communications Manager at Wildlife Forever.

Artists also competed for international recognition and specialty awards, like the Guy Harvey Shark Award, the International Game Fish Association Conservation Award, the Invader Crusader Award, and the Western Native Trout Award. Creative writing pieces were eligible for state awards and the Fish Habitat Writing Award.

“We are proud to support the next generation of artists and conservationists who share our passion for the outdoors and protecting our natural resources. We believe that art has the power to inspire positive change, and we are excited to see these young artists using their talents to raise awareness about the importance of fish and aquatic conservation,” said Bob Ziehmer, Senior Director of Conservation for Bass Pro Shops.

And the winners are…

Best of Show Award: Grace Cao, Guadalupe Bass – Texas

Art of Conservation Award: Michael Sun, Sockeye Salmon – Michigan

National Winners:

Congratulations to all the winners! Please visit https://www.wildlifeforever.org/home/fish-art/2023-winners/ to view the complete list of National, International, Specialty Award, and Essay winners.

About the Fish Art Program

The award-winning Wildlife Forever Art of Conservation Fish Art® Contest, is supported by Title Sponsor Bass Pro Shops, International Game Fish Association, the USDA Forest Service, the Guy Harvey Foundation, Rapala, and National Fish Habitat Partnership. Bringing youth, art, and conservation together, the Fish Art program is free to enter. Visit www.FishArt.org.

About Bass Pro Shops

Bass Pro Shops is North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company. Founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations and more. In 2017 Bass Pro Shops acquired Cabela’s to create a “best-of-the-best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Forbes as “one of America’s Best Employers.”

About Wildlife Forever

Our mission is to conserve America’s outdoor heritage through conservation education, preservation of habitat and management of fish and wildlife. Wildlife Forever is a 501c3 non-profit dedicated to investing resources on the ground. Recent audits reveal that 95% of every dollar supports our award-winning conservation programs. Join Today and learn more about the Art of Conservation® Fish Art Contest™ and Songbird Art Contest™, Clean Drain Dry Initiative™ and Prairie City USA® at www.WildlifeForever.org.