Pathways to Sea Country Planning
A guide for Indigenous people and organisations
Introduction
Sea Country Plans help Indigenous communities describe their objectives for the use, conservation and management of sea country and to work with others to achieve them. A Sea Country Plan seeks to marry Indigenous community priorities and aspirations with those of others with an interest in sea country, including government. The process of sea country planning is about encouraging people and organisations to work together towards sustainable management of marine environments.
Sea Country Plans were initially developed with funding support from the Marine Division of the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. A small number of pilot plans were developed as part of the Australian Government's Regional Marine Planning Program. With the Australian Government's introduction of whole-of-government arrangements for Indigenous affairs there is a wider scope for sea country plans to be developed and to cover a greater range of activities than those just within the environment portfolio.
Success of Sea Country Plans
The Government's pilot Sea Country Planning Program has been a success. Five Sea Country Plans have been developed:
- Kooyang Sea Country Plan developed by members of the Framlingham Aboriginal Trust and Winda Mara Aboriginal Corporation in South-west Victoria. The Plan covers Maar sea country in south-west Victoria. The Framlingham Aboriginal Trust won an award in the Victorian Coastal Awards for Excellent 2006 hosted by the Victorian Coastal Council, Coast Action and the Australian Government's Coastcare program for their Kooyang Sea Country Plan.
- Yolnuwu Monuk Gapu Wana Sea Country Plan prepared by the Dhimurru Land Management Aboriginal Corporation is a Yolngu vision and plan for sea country management in North-east Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. The Dhimurru Sea Country Plan received a high commendation from the Minister for the Environment in the 2006 (Australian Government) Coastal Custodians Award.
- Thuwathu / Bujimulla Sea Country Plan prepared by the Carpentaria Land Council Aboriginal Corporation for the Wellesley Island region of the Gulf of Carpentaria
- Ngarrindjeri Nation Yarluwar-Ruwe Plan - Caring for Ngarrindjeri Sea Country and Culture prepared by: Ngarrindjeri Tendi, Ngarrindjeri Heritage Committee and Ngarrindjeri Native Title Management Committee, supported by the Ngarrindjeri Land and Progress Association. The Plan covers the Murray River estuary and Coorong region of South Australia.
- Barni-Wardimantha Awara (Don't Spoil the Country) - Yanyuwa Sea Country Plan prepared by Yanyuwa Li-anthawirriyarra (Saltwater People). The Plan covers the estuary of the McArthur River and the Sir Edward Pellew Islands, south-western Gulf of Carpentaria.
The plans are helping Indigenous people negotiate with other marine managers and users to develop policies and institutional arrangements that are respectful of Indigenous peoples' rights, interests and responsibilities in sea country. Sea Country Plans are also helping Indigenous people and other marine managers to work and invest together to achieve shared objectives. Dhimurru Land Management Aboriginal Corporation in the Northern Territory, for example, is currently working with their local Indigenous Coordination Centre to fund implementation of their Sea Country Plan through a Shared Responsibility Agreement.
Along the Great Barrier Reef , many of the ideas behind sea country planning are being put to effect through Traditional Use of Marine Resource Agreements (TUMRAs). Girringun and Darambul, with help from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, have developed TUMRAs to help ensure the on-going sustainability of traditional uses of marine resources.
Support for Sea Country Plans
If your community is interested in improving the management of your sea country through development of a Sea Country Plan or through cultural or natural heritage planning:
- Contact your local Indigenous or Aboriginal Land Management Facilitator or your local Coastcare Facilitator about what sort of planning you want to do and the area you want to look at. They can help you contact and work with your local Indigenous Coordination Centre and/or your regional Natural Resource Management (NRM) Body.
- Think about developing a Shared Responsibility Agreement so that various Australian Government Departments, including the Department of the Environment and Water Resources, can look at supporting the development and implementation of a Sea Country Plan
- Apply to grant programs like Envirofund or the Indigenous Heritage Program for assistance with planning or for implementation of sea country, cultural or natural heritage management plans.
- Think about becoming more involved with your local Natural Resource Management Body. You may be able to include Indigenous sea, cultural or natural heritage planning as part of the regional body's investment priorities.
- If your community is adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef, talk to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority about developing a Traditional Use of Marine Resource Agreement within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park area.
Further Information
Want to do a sea country plan? Contact your local:
- Indigenous or Aboriginal Land Management Facilitator
- Coast Care Facilitator
- Indigenous Coordination Centre or call 1800 079 098 to be connected to the nearest ICC, except in:
- Nhulunbuy area - call 1800 089 148
- Kalgoorlie area - call 1800 193 357
- Kununurra area - call 1800 193 348
To find your local Natural Resource Management body visit the web site: www.nrm.gov.au/index.html
Interested in a Traditional Use of Marine Resources Agreement in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park area? Contact the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority on: 07 4750 0700 and ask for the Indigenous Partnerships Liaison Unit, or visit their web site: www.gbrmpa.gov.au
For information about Envirofund, call: 1800 303 863 or visit the website: www.nht.gov.au/envirofund/index.html
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