THE co-founder of the Community of Arran Seabed Trust (COAST) has won a major global environmental award worth £117,000.

Diver Howard Wood this week collected the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize in San Francisco for his work of more than 20 years in protecting the island’s marine environment.

The awards are known as the ‘environmental Nobel prizes’ and are awarded to six winners each year – one each from Africa, Asia, Europe, Islands and Island Nations, North America, and South and Central America.  He is the first Scot – and only the second person from Britain – to win the award.

COAST has played a major role in moving towards better protection of marine life and sustainable management of the sea around Scotland after the establishment of a No Take Zone in Lamlash Bay in 2008.

This paved the way for the introduction of one of the Scotland’s first Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) around the south of Arran, one of 30 around the coast.  COAST has fought against the degradation of marine life in the area of sea surrounding Arran particularly from scallop dredging and bottom trawling.

The contribution of Mr Wood and COAST has now been recognised with the award of the Goldman Environmental Prize, the largest prize for grassroots environmentalists worldwide.

The prize worth $175,000 (£117,000) can be spent by the winner ‘to pursue their vision of a renewed and protected environment’.

Mr Wood moved to Arran with his family when he was a teenager.

A keen diver, he witnessed first hand the impact dredging had on fragile marine habitats, so in 1995 he established COAST with his friend Don MacNeish to champion sustainable management of marine resources for the benefit of all.

The organisation has now grown from being entirely staffed by volunteers, to having two dedicated employees.

Howard said: “I am delighted with the award. This is global recognition for everything the community of marine volunteers on Arran has been working for.

“Convincing the Scottish Government of the need for Scotland’s first ever No Take Zone and following this with a designated Marine Protected Area has been a huge achievement.

“They are already helping to recover marine species and important fish nursery habitats.” COAST still needs to ensure adequate protection is given to MPAs and wants to establish better marine management for the whole Firth of Clyde.

Howard says he hopes the award will help COAST achieve its aims in the waters around Arran as well as inspire other Scottish coastal communities to seek better management of their own inshore waters.

“The Scottish Government has a duty to manage the marine environment as a public asset, for now and for the future and to give local communities a real say in management.

“COAST staff and volunteers believe that by restoring marine health in the Clyde we can improve our fisheries, boost tourism and create a sustainable future for marine life and our younger generations.”