The Driftwood Spars Brewery of Trevaunance Cove, St Agnes, has donated over £1,000 to Fathoms Free, a registered charity which actively cleans the ocean around the Cornish peninsula.
The cash has been raised through sales of the brewery’s Cove range of craft beer cans; a percentage from every can sold is donated to aid the recovery of ghost fishing gear from the Cornish coastline.
Project Manager Natallia Paliakova from Fathoms Free announced that the cash would be put towards the purchase of a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) – a highly-manoeuvrable underwater vehicle which will scour the seabed and harbours for abandoned fishing gear and other marine litter.
Natallia explained: “The purchase of an ROV will take our clean-up operation to a whole new level and allow us to use our highly skilled diving team in a more efficient and targeted manner. We’ll be able to locate debris much more effectively and use it to search multiple new locations, quicker and cheaper than before.”
She added: “Thanks to the camera, we’ll know exactly what to expect before we embark on our recovery dives, making it easier to plan and keep our divers safe. We’re extremely grateful to the brewery for this incredible support.”
Abandoned nets, pots, angling equipment and other plastic causes severe damage to the marine environment and the death of countless seabirds, seals, dolphins and other sea life; recording footage of underwater debris using an ROV helps to raise awareness of the issue.
It is a worldwide environmental problem, but one which small, highly dedicated organisations like Fathoms Free are tackling head-on.
Mike Mason, Head Brewer at The Driftwood Spar Brewery, said he was thrilled to be donating the cash to a cause which means so much to the team at the microbrewery and associated brewpub, The Driftwood Spars.
He commented: “A lot of gear gets washed up here at Trevaunance, especially in the winter when the seas are rough. It’s scary to think how much must be out there in the ocean if the detritus in our little cove is anything to go by.”
He added: “The team at Fathoms Free are doing a great job – they deserve all the support we can give them.”
The Cove range of contemporary beers celebrates the village of St Agnes in all its glory; stunning coastal scenery, historic locations, local ingredients, folkloric tales and community spirit have been the inspiration for each of the four beers in the range, which feature artwork by Jago Silver.
It includes Stippy Stappy IPA, Seaberry Saison, Beacon Pale Ale and Midnight Skinny Dipper Milk Stout, all of which are made in small batches at the coastal brewery.
The Cove range can currently be purchased online, and is available in good independent bottle shops in Cornwall.
(Photo credit: Stewart Girvan).
