In 2008, NPRB started a photo contest to draw attention to the importance of Alaska’s marine ecosystems. Now in 2026, professional and amateur photographers as well as young photographers are encouraged to submit their best five images in the categories of Seascapes, Marine Life, and/or Human Connections within the waters of the North Pacific Ocean including the Gulf of Alaska, Prince William Sound, Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands, and Bering Strait or Chukchi/Beaufort Seas.

Each year, professional and amateur photographers, as well as youth photographers, have been encouraged to submit their best five images of underwater sea life and marine research within the waters of the North Pacific Ocean including the Gulf of Alaska, Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands, and Bering Strait or Chukchi/Beaufort Seas. More than 3,000 entries have been submitted to the contest, many of which were submissions from scientists in the field, coastal community members from across the state, and commercial fishermen. Awards were given to the first, second, and third place for adult and youth categories. For 2024 and beyond, NPRB has rebranded the Photography Awards to be bigger and better with more cash awards and categories to enter.

One of NPRB’s hallmark productions each year is a calendar that features photographs from the current Photo Award year. Calendars are distributed to every participant along with NPRB Board, Panels, and scientific peer reviewers. The calendars have become incredibly popular in the scientific community as they are distributed at the Alaska Marine Science Symposium and the Alaska Forum of the Environment.