Living off our waters: Indigenous fishing values

While the economic and social value of the commercial and recreational fishing sectors is well understood, Indigenous fishing values are not always as readily appreciated by governments, fisheries bodies and the private sector. A wider understanding of the value of Indigenous fishing to Australia will inform better management policies that foster the Indigenous fishing sector.

The Livelihood Values of Indigenous Customary Fishing project is an ongoing research collaboration between the AIATSIS and Aboriginal communities and organisations in three different regions (the South Coast, New South Wales; the Far West Coast, South Australia; and the Crocodile Islands, Northern Territory), to document fishing values, barriers, and aspirations. Preliminary findings will be presented and discussed.

This session includes the launch of the Living Off Our Waters online exhibition on Indigenous fishing. Newly elected AIATSIS Council member Steve Kinnane, a Marda Marda academic, writer and film-maker who has worked on topics of sustainability, community resilience and development, will introduce the exhibition. It is a living document that showcases the continuity of Indigenous fishing through to today, as well as being an educational tool which highlights the values imbued in Indigenous fishing.