Indigenous cultural fishing and fisheries governance
Historically, funding for indigenous research generally has been limited hence not enough is known about indigenous use of aquatic biological resources (fish etc). For example the lack of knowledge about cultural fishing and how to engage indigenous fishers is one of the reasons that the ESD project (Fletcher et al 2002) was unable to come up with any significant contributions on the how to measure impacts of non-indigenous fishing sector on indigenous fishing other than 'a different approach was needed to involve indigenous stakeholders (see below for further details)' page 43 of (Fletcher, W.J., Chesson, J., Fisher M., Sainsbury, K.J., Hundloe, T., Smith, A.D.M. and B. Whitworth (2002) National ESD Reporting Framework for Australian Fisheries: The 'How To' Guide for Wild Capture Fisheries. FRDC Project 2000/145, Canberra, Australia.) All governments need to do more to encourage indigenous research, recognising the associated complexities in conducting this research and therefore the associated added costs.
In relation to the project proposed in this application, there are two interrelated elements both of which expand on the recent FRDC project 2009/308. Participants expressed the need for an extension of that project to investigate governance issues through the development of a LICFMP for their area. Such a plan is needed to provide a basis for better engagement with NSW DPI and it's development will serve as a possible model for the development of other throughout NSW.
The second element of the proposed project is an expansion of the research on the indigenous cultural catch to take other areas of NSW. This work is needed to assist in the further development of culturally appropriate regulations by NSW DPI in consultation with the NSW AFAC and NSWALC.
Final report
This FRDC funded project, Project No 2012/216, sought to build on an earlier pilot study, Project No. 2009/308 , undertaken in 2010 which examined the nature and dimensions of Aboriginal cultural fishing in the Tweed region of far northern New South Wales . Project No 2012/216 had two elements, the first one sought to adapt the methodology used in the Tweed study to collect data on catch for application in other regions of NSW. The second element sought to build on what had been achieved in the pilot project by facilitating the development of a local Aboriginal fisheries management strategy/plan for the Tweed Aboriginal community. Support for both elements of the project was obtained from the NSW Aboriginal Fishing Advisory Council (AFAC), the NSW Department of Primary Industries, Fisheries (DPI), the NSW Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) and the Indigenous Reference Group to the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (IRG) and the Tweed Aboriginal community. Application for funding from FRDC was successful and the project commenced in July 2012.
