Plastic with a Purpose: 2025 IGFA Debris Division Award Winner
Wildlife Forever and the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) are thrilled to announce the winner of the 2025 IGFA Debris Division Award: Dongwoo Jung, an 11th-grade student from Seattle, Washington. Dongwoo’s award-winning Red Lionfish sculpture, created entirely from plastic debris collected during a local beach cleanup, wowed judges with its artistry, message, and powerful conservation call-to-action.
A category in the internationally acclaimed Fish Art Contest, the IGFA Debris Division Award challenges young artists to transform collected trash into visual storytelling about aquatic conservation. Dongwoo’s entry, titled “Plastic Beauty,” tackled two major environmental threats at once – plastic pollution and invasive species – with a beautiful mixed-media piece built from discarded bottle caps, shredded containers, and tangled fishing line. The piece brings to life the invasive Red Lionfish, a species native to the Indo-Pacific but now wreaking havoc in Atlantic waters.
“Dongwoo’s art is more than just visually captivating – it’s a message in a bottle,” said Veronica Mangio, Marketing & Communications Manager for Wildlife Forever. “By weaving together themes of habitat destruction, invasive species, and human consumption, he captures the powerful intersection of art and conservation – reminding us that creativity can be a catalyst for deeper connection and environmental action.”
The 2025 Fish Art Contest received over 6,300 entries from 44 countries and nearly every U.S. state this year, a testament to its growing global impact. Students in grades K – 12 submitted original fish artwork and written essays, many incorporating conservation themes and personal experiences with nature.
Lisa Morse, Director of Education at the International Game Fish Association, emphasized the value of connecting students to conservation through tangible, hands-on efforts:
“The Debris Division was born from our Habits for Habitats initiative, which encourages individuals to clean up and protect aquatic ecosystems,” Morse said. “Dongwoo exemplifies the spirit of this mission – turning cleanup into creation, and trash into truth. We couldn’t be more proud to support this next generation of conservationists.”
Dongwoo’s artist statement is as compelling as his artwork. “The lionfish might be beautiful, but it’s a symbol of everything we’ve done wrong. By using the waste that hurts the ocean to create something meaningful, I’m sending a message: We need to stop treating the planet like it’s disposable.”
To view Dongwoo’s artwork and read his full creative writing, visit: https://www.theartofconservation.org/debris-division-winner.