Company tackling ghost fishing gear scoops top prize at Cornwall Sustainability Awards

A company that recovers discarded fishing gear from the ocean and recycles it into new products has been named overall winner at the Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Sustainability Awards (CSA). Waterhaul also won the circular economy category in the awards ceremony held at the National Maritime Museum on Friday 6^th December.

The Newquay-based firm was praised for tackling the problem of ghost gear – lost, abandoned or discarded fishing gear – by recovering it from the coastline and turning it into durable and sustainable products such as sunglasses.

Now in its 22nd year, the awards hosted by Cornwall Council celebrate organisations and individuals across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly for their contribution towards sustainability, environmental growth, circular economy and carbon neutrality.

Cllr Martyn Alvey, Cornwall Council cabinet member for environment and climate change and one of the awards judges, said: “The Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Sustainability Awards showcases our region’s wealth of innovative organisations which are helping nature recover, lessening our impact on the planet and fuelling our green economy and skills. A big congratulations to all our incredible entrants and winners and thank you to everyone who attended our awards evening.”

The full results for each category are:

Trees for Nature and Growth – Farmers and Landowners (sponsored by Forest for Cornwall through Defra’s Nature for Climate Fund): 

• Winner – Philliegh Way Wood

• Runner-up – Rosuick Farm

Trees for Nature and Growth – Communities and Groups (sponsored by Forest for Cornwall through Defra’s Nature for Climate Fund): 

• Winner – Plant One

• Runner-up – WI Climate Ambassadors

Most Sustainable Organisation – small (sponsored by Foot Anstey):

• Winner – St Martin’s Vineyard

Most Sustainable Organisation – medium (sponsored by The Future is Green Project, Cornwall College Group):

• Winner – Falmouth Harbour Commissioners

Most Sustainable Organisation – medium – judges’ commendation (sponsored by The Future is Green Project, Cornwall College Group):

• Judge’s Commendation – St Austell Printing Company

Most Sustainable Organisation – large (sponsored by Truro & Penwith College):

• Winner – Watson-Marlow Ltd

Most Sustainable Organisation – large – judges’ commendation (sponsored by Truro & Penwith College):

• Judge’s commendation – Falmouth Town Council

Environmental Growth:

• Winner – South West Peatland Partnership (sponsored by Local Investment in Nature Cornwall (LINC))

• Runner-up – Wildflower Collective (sponsored by CIoS Local Nature Partnership (LNP)

• Highly commended – Mylor Mooring Services Ltd (sponsored by Cornwall AONB Trust)

Carbon Positive:

• Winner – Volunteer Cornwall: Health & Climate Resilience Network (sponsored by University of Exeter)

• Runner-up – Trewithen Dairy (sponsored by Carbon Sense)

• Highly Commended – Bull & Wolf (sponsored by Carbon Sense)

Circular Economy:

• Winner – Waterhaul (sponsored by Local Investment in Nature Cornwall (LINC))

• Runner-up – The Wave Project (sponsored by Local Investment in Nature Cornwall (LINC))

• Highly commended – Chocolarder (sponsored CIoS Growth Hub & Good Growth Programme)

Mark Duddridge Award:

• Winner – Cornwall Climate Care

Overall Winner (sponsored by Business Cornwall):

• Winner – Waterhaul

If you would like to apply or nominate an organisation for the 2025 CSAs then please go to the website to find out more; www.cornwallsustainabilityawards.org

This article was written by Veryan Jones, Senior Environment Officer for Cornwall Council’s Nature Recovery Team and was published in The Cornishman, Cornish Guardian and the West Britton.