What it covers
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have managed Australia's coastal waters for millennia. Customary, cultural, and growing commercial fisheries are central to the future of Australian seafood.
Key facts
- Customary fishing rights protected under the Native Title Act 1993
- Sea Country includes inter-tidal zones and offshore waters
- Knowledge of seasonal indicators and breeding cycles informs modern science
- Indigenous-owned commercial operations across NT, Cape York, Torres Strait, and parts of WA
- Pearling, trochus, beche-de-mer, mud crab, and finfish are the dominant Indigenous commercial species
- Indigenous Ranger programs combine traditional ecological knowledge with modern science
By the numbers
$50M+Annual value of Indigenous commercial fisheries
15%Coastline under Indigenous management
100+Active Indigenous Ranger groups
1993Native Title Act recognises customary fishing rights