Through the Torres Strait Dugong and Turtle Project, the
Torres Strait Regional Authority’s (TSRA) Land and Sea
Management Unit (LSMU) have been supporting Traditional Owners on
the Islands of Badu, Boigu, Erub, Iama, Mabuiag, Mer, Horn and St
Pauls, to strengthen their capacity to sustainably manage their
dugong and turtle fisheries.
The
TSRA Dugong and Turtle Project is part of a north Australia wide project coordinated by
the North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance
(NAILSMA), and funded by the Natural Heritage Trust.
TSRA
Chairperson Mr. Toshie Kris, said that the Project, which is now
entering its third year, uses a community-based planning process so
that management decisions are made by the island’s
Traditional Owner group together with other traditional
inhabitants.
“A Project Officer has been employed in each of these
communities to liaise with their community and to develop a Plan
that documents how they want to manage their dugong and turtle
resources”, said Mr Kris.
“These Officers are supported by the LSMU’s Dugong
and Turtle Project team who provide technical and financial
assistance whilst facilitating partnerships with government and
non-government organisations to roll out the project.
“To date, six communities have developed draft Dugong
and Turtle Management Plans. The draft plans
discuss:
- How
management arrangements will be implemented for dugong and turtle
on these islands,
- Traditional Owner research priorities,
- What
type of assistance the community needs to make the Plans work,
and
- Who
needs to be involved to help implement the Plans.
“Each community is enthusiastic about the draft plans
being supported and endorsed by government. One proposed key
outcome is the creation of suitably qualified Traditional Owner
rangers to manage dugong and turtle according to their
Plans.
“The TSRA, with the support of Traditional Owners,
has commenced a stakeholder consultation process inviting comment
and commitments for the Plans and their proposed
implementation. The Plans have been sent to ten Australian
Government agencies, six State agencies and two research
organisations for comment.
“The TSRA’s Land and Sea Management Unit is
working to coordinate a meeting between agencies and Traditional
Owner representatives from each of the participating islands to
discuss the agencies’ comments”, said Mr.
Kris.
If you would like to find
out more about this project, please call LSMU’s Dugong and
Turtle Project Liaison Officers Mr. Lachlan Sutherland or Mr. Frank
Loban at the TSRA Land and Sea Management Unit on (07) 4069
2947.
