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GhostNets Australia are certainly on a winning streak. Just to add to their growing list of environmental, design and film awards, GhostNets Australia have recently been awarded the 2012 Sustainable Ocean Innovation Award for their work in northern Australia, competing with applications from the US, Canada, Philippines, Fiji, Australia, Indonesia, and the UK.The award is granted in recognition of contribution and advances in technology and strategies to reduce or repair our impact on our oceans.

The GhostNets Australia program is a fantastic example of innovation in action. Solving our environmental problems needs a healthy dose of lateral thinking in order to first see a solution and then brainstorm a way to make it happen. What particularly impressed us was how they have initiated a program that turns ugly ghost nets into beautiful artwork that is sought after by esteemed collectors of Indigenous art around the world. Not only this, GhostNets Australia is working to determine the source of the nets and resolve a complex social issue by capacity building and partnerships.

- David Lennon, director of Sustainable Oceans International.

We are very honoured to have received this award. This recognition of all our efforts will be a huge boost to our team’s morale as we launch into the next phase of the program – tackling the source of the issue and working directly with fishermen in south east Asia. Thank you.

- Riki Gunn, Coordinator of GhostNets Australia.

Visual Obsession have worked alongside GhostNets Australia for the past three years, including filming, editing, project management and graphic design. At the 2011 Queensland Multi Media Awards, Visual Obsession and GhostNets Australia won Best Logo Design (Not For Profit) and Best Environmental Story for the documentary titled "The Young Man and the Ghost Net". This documentary was also selected from numerous video submissions, as one of only nine international documentaries to be highlighted at the 5th International Marine Debris Conference (5IMDC) Movie Night in Hawaii March 2011. In 2012, GhostNets Australia won the Creative Arts Category in the World Wildlife Fund Earth Hour Awards in New South Wales... a very popular choice.

A big congratulations to the hard-working and dedicated team at GhostNets Australia!

 - The crew from Visual Obsession

CLICK HERE to read more about GhostNets Australia and the fantastic work they do.