Our Seas Our Future (Osof) won the New Zealand Association for Environmental Education (NZAEE) Seaweek ''Ocean Champion'' award for 2014.
The group's founder, Noel Jhinku, was awarded a ''highly commended'' Keep Dunedin Beautiful Award for continuing civic pride.
Since its founding, Osof has held regular beach clean-ups.
It has also been involved in the Adopt a Coast project aimed at educating pupils on the marine system, and other campaigns to raise awareness about environmental issues.
NZAEE Seaweek national co-ordinator Mels Barton said it was wonderful to have a winner who advocated and educated effectively within the community about protecting our oceans and showed leadership by getting out there and doing the work in their local area.
Mr Jhinku said winning the awards had been an encouraging boost to the group and he was grateful to have a big enough support base to win.
