Mandy Collinson, the Fisherman’s Daughter, takes out win in WA Seafood Industry Awards

Mandy Collinson, also known as the Fisherman’s Daughter and who is currently working with Paspaley Pearls and hosting art workshops in Broome, has won the environment category in the WA Seafood Industry Awards.

The awards, which recognise excellence in the WA seafood industry, was held on May 3 at The Esplanade Hotel in Fremantle and opened by Fisheries Minister Don Punch.

Ms Collinson removes waste and plastic fishing by-products from WA beaches and turns them into spectacular artworks in an effort to promote WA’s fishing heritage and support mental health initiatives.

She runs art workshops to share her passion and the concept has captured the hearts of hundreds of women who are now combing the beaches looking for their own ropes and flotsam to create artworks.

WA Fishing Industry Council chief executive Darryl Hockey said Ms Collinson had demonstrated excellence in developing an environmental activity that contributed substantially towards rehabilitating aquatic environments.

“As an industry body, we recognise the importance of acknowledging those individuals and organisations who make a substantial contribution to benefiting our industry and The Fisherman’s Daughter has made an impact on protecting the coastal environment,” he said.

Ms Collins believes her art is a tool to bring communities together to help with mental health issues and has run art workshops from as far north as Derby and as far south as Esperance and also at Aboriginal communities across the Pilbara and Kimberley.

Ms Collinson will be running art workshops in Broome on June 22 and 29 and July 13 and 20.