Atlantic Sharks, Tunas, Billfish, and Swordfish Art Contest

2024 Highly Migratory Species Art Contest Now Closed!

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NOAA Fisheries holds an annual art contest open to students from kindergarten through eighth grade. Through this contest, we hope to raise awareness about Atlantic highly migratory species (sharks, tunas, billfish, and swordfish)  and their importance to healthy ecosystems. Winning artwork is featured in a yearly NOAA Fisheries calendar.

The 2024 Highly Migratory Species art contest will highlight Atlantic tunas. The winning artwork will be featured in a 2025 Atlantic tunas calendar.

Downloadable Flyer

Teachers, download this flyer to hand out or hang up in your classroom.

Who is eligible to enter the contest?

All students from kindergarten through eighth grade from all U.S. states and territories in public, private, and home schools are eligible to participate. Students may submit entries on their own or as part of a classroom, but must work individually.

Entry Requirements

Each entry must be composed of a piece of artwork and a title. All entries must meet the requirements below. A NOAA awards panel will collect all entries and select 13 winners to be featured in a calendar. Entries will be judged on the creativity, artistic presentation, and relevance to the art contest themes.

The theme of the 2024 Highly Migratory Species art contest is Atlantic tunas and should highlight:

1. The important role Atlantic tunas play in their ecosystem to support healthy oceans and fisheries;
2. The diversity of Atlantic tunas and their habitats; and/or
3. Unique biological characteristics of Atlantic tunas.

Artwork and Description Requirements

We strongly encourage highlighting Atlantic tuna species found in the Atlantic Ocean such as bluefin, bigeye, albacore, yellowfin, and skipjack tunas.

1. Provide one entry per student.
2. Create artwork on a single sheet of 8.5” x 11” paper, landscape.
3. Use plain, white, non-glossy paper; do not laminate.
4. Use any art medium (e.g., colored pencils, crayons, paint, markers).
5. Hand draw all artwork.
6. Ensure artwork is flat (e.g., no glued pieces or glitter) and able to be scanned.
7. Do not include any personal information (name, location, or grade) on the front of the artwork.
8. Write the student’s name, grade, school, and state on the back of the artwork in pencil.
9. Avoid labeling items with any brand names, slogans, or in the artwork; limit text on the artwork.
10. Provide a title for each artwork on the entry form.

Entry Submission

All entries must be submitted electronically or by mail and postmarked no later than January 31, 2024. Please submit one entry form per student.

Submitting Entries by Mail

Mail entry to:

Highly Migratory Species Art Contest

Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Management Division

NMFS SSMC3 F/SF1

1315 East-West Highway,

Silver Spring, MD 20910

Submitting Entries Electronically

Email entry to: nmfs.hms.artcontest@noaa.gov.

• Attach the artwork as a JPEG, PNG, or TIFF.
• Make sure the artwork is high resolution (scanning is encouraged), not crooked, and is easy to see and/or read.
• Include the student’s name, grade, school, and state in the body of the email .
• Please note: Our email system will not accept emails with attachments larger than 18MB. If you are submitting multiple entries via email, please number them, send them in individual emails, or reach out to confirm we have received all of your entries.

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NOAA Fisheries held an art contest for students from kindergarten through eighth grade to raise awareness about Atlantic shark species. Winning artwork is featured in a calendar highlighting the importance of these species to healthy ecosystems and to celebrate 30 years of NOAA Fisheries’ successes in conservation through sustainable fisheries management.

The 13 pieces of artwork selected are featured in our 2024 Atlantic Shark Calendar. Thank you to all the students who participated in this year’s contest!

Download the 2024 Atlantic Shark Calendar

For a print copy email nmfs.hms.artcontest@noaa.gov