Dugong and Marine Turtle Management in Northern Australia

Dugong and Marine Turtle Management in Northern Australia

Dugong and Marine Turtle Management in Northern Australia Bio-physical context Migratory, long-lived and slow growing species which regularly move across borders and into neighbouring countries A wide geographic range and diversity of habitats Significant gaps in understanding of species and habitat distribution Limited scientific baseline data on Australian population sizes or trends Limited established frameworks for recording and managing data and particularly for interpreting local scale data at national or regional scales

Dugong and Marine Turtle Management in Northern Australia Bio-physical context Particular challenges posed by species life history and remote distribution to developing robust community based monitoring methods Healthy Australian populations set in an international context of dramatic population declines and local/regional extinctions Increasing threats to populations and habitats especially in a regional context

Dugong and Marine Turtle Management in Northern Australia Historical, social, political, and cultural context Dramatic fluctuations in dugong and turtle numbers and distribution coincident with past sea level changes Long and successful history of Indigenous management including trading with Macassans Disruption and dislocation of Indigenous management regimes (customary law) including loss of IEK Post-colonisation commercial harvests for meat and oil

Dugong and Marine Turtle Management in Northern Australia Historical, social, political, and cultural context Majority of coastal habitats under Indigenous management Strong cultural ties and obligations to dugong and marine turtles ( cultural conservation ) Economic reliance on turtle and dugong esp. in remote communities

Dugong and Marine Turtle Management in Northern Australia Historical, social, political, and cultural context Indigenous communities and people from a diversity of cultural, economic, historical and social backgrounds Highly variable but often limited capacity of Indigenous people to undertake contemporary research and management activities

Dugong and Marine Turtle Management in Northern Australia Historical, social, political, and cultural context Threatened species and associated regulatory requirements Multi-jurisdictional management responsibilities Numerous and diverse range of stakeholders including government agencies, research organisations, industry groups and NGOs Intense public scrutiny of and often opposition to the rights, roles, responsibilities and activities of Indigenous Australians in managing dugong and marine turtle populations

Management Project Invited select tender process for NHT Regional Competitive Funds Recognised NAILSMA and CRC s ability to deliver complex cross-regional initiatives NHT funding of $3.8 million with additional $3 million in-kind and cash commitments from Partners Initial focus on harvest management broadened to holistic approach to management

Management Project Partners are Kimberly Land Council, Northern Land Council, Carpentaria Land Council, Cape York Balkanu Development Corporation and Torres Strait Regional Authority Technical Reference Group of government, research and industry reps Regional Activity Plans based on community aspirations and issues and IEK

Management Project Completion of Project Planning phase RAPs approved by JSC Contracts between Partners and NAILSMA in place Regional Facilitators engaged and RAP implementation commenced

Management Project Goal Healthy and sustainable populations of dugong and marine turtles in north Australian waters that support Indigenous livelihoods

Objectives Management Project Improve the knowledge base, incorporating Indigenous Knowledge Improve communication and networking relationships between Indigenous and nonindigenous managers and scientists Enhance the capacity of indigenous people to implement management actions

Management Project Empower Indigenous people to more effectively engage in decision making Improve the understanding of wider Australia of the rights, roles, responsibilities and achievements of indigenous people

Management Project RAP Activities Develop local management capacity IEK recording Cultural and ecological mapping and workshops Training Research partnerships for biological research Habitat and population monitoring

Catch monitoring Management Project RAP Activities Knowledge and skills exchange Education and communication Indigenous and non-indigenous audiences Visitor management

Management Indigenous Ecological Knowledge RAP development and implementation underpinned by IEK IEK a large body of detailed knowledge and a living and evolving knowledge Only knowledge in practice for much of Australia s northern coastline IEK practitioners represent major land management workforce in northern Australia

Management Yanyuwa terms for dugongs Walya - general term for both dugong and sea turtle; waliki/nhabal - general term for all dugong; wudanyuka - general term for all sea turtle; li-waliki/&-waliki - a herd of dugong; Female dugongs a-banthamu - old cow with small tusks visible; a-bayawiji - mature cow, capable of breeding (no tusks); a-ngayiwunyarra/a-kulhakulhawiji - pregnant cow; a-lhumurrawiji - pregnant cow with a calf still following her; a-miramba - non-lactating cow, but with a large calf still following her; a-ngarninybala - cow with her calf riding on her back; a-wuduwu - young female dugong; li-milkamilarra - small group of cows with calves; nyankardu - dugong foetus; Male dugongs bungkurl - very fat, small male dugong; jiyamirama/jiwarnarrila - male dugong which moves away during times of threat; mayili - bull dugong with small tusks; rangkarraku/rangkarrangu - bull dugong travelling by itself; wiriji - large old bull with a mottled hide, considered to be the offspring of the Rainbow Serpent; wirumantharra - bull dugong whistling, often said to be the leader of the herd; ngumba - very young dugong.

Management Indigenous Ecological Knowledge Customary law effective but needs reinvigoration to underpin contemporary management.

Continuity and change in dugong hunting Based on Bradley (1991) Hunting practice Before Now Who hunts? Men only Men only Equipment Wooden spear with wooden tip. Rope attached to harpoon made from pandanus bark Wooden spear with metal tip. Rope made from nylon or hemp Hunting platform Bark or dugout canoe Aluminium dinghy Harpoon strikes Hunting rule Selection of dugong Wooden float attached to rope and always used ~ Two harpoon strikes on each animal ~ Must be silent, not break sticks, not touch greasy food ~ Preferred target animals are young males; pregnant females, females with calf, and older males are avoided Wooden float always carried but only used if outboard motor fails ~ Two harpoon strikes on each animal ~ Must be silent, not break sticks, not touch greasy food ~ Preferred target animals are young males; pregnant females, females with calf, and older males are avoided

Management Indigenous Ecological Knowledge Taboo sites and bio-cultural refugia (eg Blue Mud Bay and fisheries closures in the Gulf)

= location of satellite tracked turtle

Management Indigenous Ecological Knowledge IEK underpins local governance structures that support management IEK large part of regional economies - the customary economy