The NAILSMA Turtle and Dugong Project - Cape York component
As a core partner of NAILSMA (The North Australian Land and Sea Management Alliance), Balkanu was asked to contribute to the NAILSMA tender for the work. This was achieved quickly and efficiently given the time constraints at the time. North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance “The Marine Turtle and Dugong project has developed out of the Australian Government commitment to increase Indigenous involvement in management of Marine Turtle and Dugong across northern Australia. Over the next two and half years $3.8 million will be available for projects involving turtle and dugong management across northern Australia, including Cape York. The contract requires some compulsory structural, reporting, accountability, acquittal and procedural processes because of its size and complexity, so on ground expenditure is somewhat less than $3.8M, but we will seek to maximise outcomes for Traditional Owners on the ground. The project is coordinated by the Northern Australian Indigenous Land & Sea Management Alliance (NAILSMA), an alliance of representative Indigenous bodies across Northern Australia, including Balkanu Cape York Development Corporation representing Cape York, Torres Strait Regional Authority representing people of Torres Strait, Carpentaria Land Council representing people from the Gulf/Carpentaria region, Northern Land Council representing people of the Northern Territory and Kimberley Land Council representing the Kimberley North Western Australia Region. While NAILSMA is responsible for the overall coordination of the project over the next two and half years, each of the regions will be responsible for developing a regional plan and ensuring community projects for the management of turtle and dugong are funded and managed appropriately”. Interview with Robbie Sallee: Turtle and dugong: A Way Forward Regional Activity Plans Each region was asked to produce a regional activity plan (RAP) for consideration by NAILSMA and partners. These would form the basis for sharing resources available to the greater project across the 5 regions. Balkanu spoke to Elders of and visited candidate communities on the Cape. (Not all communities could be included because of resource constraints, so decisions needed to be made on what Balkanu as a partner, thought might provide the best result for the NAILSMA project as a whole). An important consideration was contributing to methodological diversity (different ways of doing things) across the project area. Given the success of the Traditional Knowledge Revival Pathways methodology which had been developed by Elders in Laura, it was recognised that the process was transportable to numerous subject areas. See www.tkrp.com.au This new approach had its challenges, requiring intensive and consistent support. Activities to March 2008 Injinoo
Interview with Robbie Sallee: Turtle and dugong: A Way Forward Pormpuraaw
The Pormpuraaw community are planning to meet again to discuss a local management plan and to suggest activities for an educational camping trip for community children. These children will participate in a number of activities including hands-on workshops on turtle nesting and turtle management. Hope Vale
At a meeting in February 2008 plans to revisit the existing Dugong and Marine Turtle Management Plan were discussed as well as the possible appointment of a project officer to consult with community and hunters about the plan. The latter has been supported in part by a grant from DEWHA via their Migratory and Marine Biodiversity Unit. Interview with Robbie Sallee: Turtle and dugong: A Way Forward |
The Injinoo community have been involved in a number of community meetings and workshops where Elders in particular have been encouraged and supported to share traditional knowledge strategies for management with local recorders. In December 2007 councillors from New Mapoon, Elders from Bamaga and other leaders from the Northern Peninsular Area (NPA) met to discuss how to get community leaders together for a region wide management strategy meeting. In February 2008 a hunters meeting was conducted that brought together turtle and dugong hunters from across the NPA and community members. Participants discussed hunting practises, future management strategies and issues of boundaries and areas of traditional ownership. 
Robbie Salee participated in a workshop for the National Partnership Approach for the Sustainable use of Turtle and Dugong at the Cardwell Land and Sea Conference in October 2007. Participants from a variety of regions that have traditionally harvested turtle and dugong, and representatives from the department of Environment, Heritage, Water and the Arts, who manage the partnership, explored issues and concerns relating to turtle and dugong management. Robbie raised a number of issues relating to the Northern Peninsular Area (NPA) including: the introduction of a permit system for hunters, the advent of modern boats and equipment for hunting and the economic imperatives for hunting in remote communities. He also discussed some of his work in video recording traditional knowledge relating to turtle and dugong hunting. 
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