Seahorses and shipwrecks among winners of underwater photography contest

Annual contest awards best pictures from below the waves

The winners of the annual picture contest held by Underwater Photography.com have been announced.

Amateurs and professional photographers from around the world posted in their top shots to the site before judges award a selection their favourites.

The Caribbean Sea is the most popular location for entries with more pictures taken there than in the whole Pacific Ocean.

The special interest photography site launched in the early days of the internet and has been running the competition since 1998.

Here The Independent has compiled the best of the winning pictures in the gallery above.