
Nalkuma Burrawanga and Banula Marika releasing a turtle

Aaron Kelly from Mornington Island holding a dugong

Samuel Evans and Brian Simon: traditional hunting
Photo credits from top are:
Dhimurru Land Management Aboriginal Corporation
Carpentaria Land Council Aboriginal Corporation
Mabunji Aboriginal Resource Association
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Project leader: Rod Kennett
Traditional Owners from the Kimberley, Top End of the Northern
Territory, southern Gulf of Carpentaria, Cape York and the Torres
Strait have joined forces to develop community-driven approaches to
the sustainable management of marine turtles and dugongs in
northern Australia. (A Network Map of the project can be
downloaded from the bottom of this page).
Coordinated by the North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea
Management Alliance (NAILSMA) and the CRC for Tropical Savannas,
the Dugong and Marine Turtle project takes a fresh approach by
ensuring that Traditional Owners and Indigenous communities are
driving research and management activities.
The project partners of the Dugong and Marine Turtle project
are:
- Kimberley Land Council
- Northern Land Council
- Carpentaria Land Council Aboriginal Corporation
- Balkanu Cape York Development Corporation and
- Torres Strait Regional Authority.
The partner organisations oversee the delivery of the project
through Regional Activity Plans in selected ‘pilot’
communities. The Regional Activity Plans, developed through
community consultation, identify Traditional Owners needs and
aspirations, the issues and threats facing dugong and turtle
management, and the management and research activities that
communities wish to undertake. Despite the many different
backgrounds and locations of the communities involved, many similar
issues have been identified, including:
- A commitment to maintaining and valuing Indigenous Knowledge
and customary practice as the basis for sustainable management
plans;
- The need for more readily accessible scientific information on
dugong and marine turtle populations and habitats;
- The need to develop capacities of Indigenous rangers and land
managers to be more actively involved in management and research of
dugong, turtles and their habitats;
- Wider partnerships with other Indigenous communities,
researchers, government and industry to improve understanding of
the threats to dugong and marine turtles, including entanglement in
nets, marine debris, boat strikes, predation by feral animals,
Indigenous harvest and habitat destruction; and
- The need for wider education about dugongs and marine turtle
management issues within communities, as well as transfer of
knowledge to people outside of the communities such as tourists,
scientists, policy-makers and the general public.
NAILSMA works with the project partners, providing coordination
and undertaking cross-regional activities such as:
- Facilitating communication amongst participating Indigenous
communities;
- Standardised information recording and storage;
- Training and exchange visits between participating
communities;
- Commissioning relevant reviews and analyses such as a
socio-economic study of the value of dugongs and turtles to
Indigenous livelihoods;
- Ensuring Indigenous representation in government initiatives,
planning and committees; and
- Communication activities to improve public understanding of the
rights, roles, responsibilities and achievements of indigenous
people in managing dugong and marine turtles.
A Technical Reference Group of researchers, government,
non-government and industry representatives has also been formed to
support the project, providing professional advice and expertise on
dugong and marine turtles and management issues.
With funding of $3.8 million over 2.5 years from the Australian
Government’s Natural Heritage Trust and cash and in-kind
contributions from project partners and participating communities
of over $3 million, the project represents a substantial commitment
by all involved.
NAILSMA, the project partners and communities believe that by
working together they will contribute to a long term vision of
healthy and sustainable populations of dugong and marine turtles
that support Indigenous livelihoods across north Australia. —
Rod Kennett, Project Coordinator.
Articles
Dugong and turtle knowledge handbook
The Dugong and Turtle Knowledge Handbook is part of a program coordinated by NAILSMA to support Indigenous groups communities and organisations across northern Australian in managing dugong and marine turtles including continued sustainable… [
read more...]
Indigenous Management of Marine Turtle and Dugong: legal opportunities and impediments.
Consultancy Report to NAILSMA by Jann Crase The NAILSMA Dugong and Marine Turtle Project aims to support and facilitate Indigenous management and sustainable use of these species as a critical management approach for these species… [
read more...]
Message Disk DVD
Message Disk is a new DVD that shares the knowledge and experience of Indigenous dugong and marine turtle managers from eight regions across northern Australia Developed by NAILSMA its project partners and participating… [
read more...]
Review of dugong and turtle fisheries legislation and policy in Torres Strait
This legal review looks at the current laws and policies relating to the dugong and turtle fisheries in Torres Strait and identify opportunities and obstacles to support a community-based approach to managing fisheries Unlike anywhere… [
read more...]