10 | Native Title Newsletter August 2016 edition 10 | Native Title Newsletter April 2016 edition

LAUNCH OF LAND AND SEA MANAGEMENT STRATEGY

NED DAVID C HAIRPERSON GUR A BARADHARAW KOD TORRES STRAIT SEA AND LAND COUNCIL MIYA ISHERWOOD L AND AND SEA MANAGEMENT UNIT TORRES STRAIT REGIONAL AUTHORITY CLARE BARCHAM P ROJECT OFFICER AIATSIS

HE ISLAND OF MER IN THE this month (see www.tsra.gov.au). Owners and their representative Torres Strait was the first The Strategy aims to help Torres organisations jointly determining Tplace to secure native title Strait communities work together to the values, vision, and desired recognition in Mabo v protect the people, sea, and land of outcomes for the region’s islands (No 2). Since 1992 more than 20 the Torres Strait. The vision for the and sea. Prescribed Bodies Corporate (PBCs) Strategy is: have been established in the Torres The process involved a number of Strait to preside over their respective Empowering Torres Strait regional workshops and meetings. land and sea country. This includes Islander and Aboriginal A draft Strategy was taken to the Sea Claim PBC Malu Lumar, peoples to sustainably manage a regional workshop held in which covers the 40,000 square and benefit from their land, September 2015 with input and kilometres of traditional marine sea and cultural resources into feedback from this workshop used estate in the Torres Strait. the future, in accordance with to revise the Strategy. Comment Ailan Kastom, Aboriginal Lore/ was then sought from all Ranger Torres Strait Traditional Owners Law and native title rights and groups, RNTBCs, and other key established Gur A Baradharaw Kod interests. regional stakeholders. In February Torres Strait Sea and Land Council 2016, a meeting was held with (GBK) in 2012 to act as a peak body The new Strategy builds on the representatives from the five nation to promote the collective interests achievements of the 2005 Land groups in Torres Strait represented of native title holders and to develop and Sea Management Strategy for by the GBK Working Group as a culture of governance that aligns Torres Strait and further draws well as Kaurareg, Gudang and with Ailan Kastom. The directors of upon western science, management Traditional Owners GBK comprise the Chairs of all the experience, and advice from from Cape York. This meeting was PBCs in the region. Torres Strait Traditional Owners to ensure that the Strategy aligned to determine the region’s natural with Traditional Owner interests GBK and the Torres Strait Regional and cultural values and priorities. and priorities, and resulted Authority have recently endorsed The development of the Strategy in amendments to reflect the the revised the Land and Sea included extensive collaboration importance of Ailan Kastom and Management Strategy for Torres and consultation with a range of Aboriginal Law and Lore throughout Strait (2016-2036) (’the Strategy’) and stakeholders. The planning process the document. The TSRA Board the Strategy was released earlier engaged Torres Strait Traditional then approved the final Strategy.

Above and right: Mer (Murray) Island, . Native Title Newsletter August 2016 edition | 11

There are several key aspects to and community management The implementation of the Strategy the Strategy: the identification priorities of each island. The will occur according to the guiding and assessment of sixteen key information in the profiles can be principles set out in the Strategy. values including a state of the used to support local planning } Be culturally appropriate environment regional report card, and decision-making, and as (reinforcing native title rights and the creation of island profiles educational and promotional tools. and interests, respecting Ailan summarising the key environmental The profiles will help communities Kastom and Aboriginal Law/ features and management priorities better understand their unique Lore, incorporating Traditional of each island. circumstances and aid them in Ecological Knowledge, and making informed choices about aligning with Traditional Owner As its core, the Strategy identifies future priorities for land and sea interests) sixteen key values under the themes management. of people, sea, and land which } Empower Traditional Owners make the Torres Strait unique. The report card will be updated every (supporting self-determination at The Strategy details what each five years and the island profiles the local and regional scale) value is, its current condition, its every three to five years, allowing for } Deliver enduring outcomes desired outcomes, and the strategic comparison of measures, priorities, (providing environmentally, management directions to be taken and outcomes. economically and socially to achieve the desired outcomes. sustainable solutions) The current state of each of the Strong foundations have been laid } Adopt integrated decision key values was also assessed in for partnerships with a range of making (using evidence-based the state of the environment organisations including native title approach that takes a long- regional report card included holders, representative bodies, term holistic perspective and in the Strategy. The report card community members, government, considers all relevant factors) measures the current condition, research institutions, and industry. significance, and level of threat to The Strategy will seek further } Demonstrate strong adaptive each value, identifies any trends in opportunities for existing and potential management (applying flexible the value, and provides the level of partners to contribute time, resources approaches that incorporate confidence in information available and effort towards implementing the learning from experience) based on qualitative assessment Strategy, particularly its Indigenous } Focus on protecting and and professional judgement using community-based management managing key values (keeping available evidence. initiatives. The TSRA is also looking the unique features of Torres to collaborate with GBK to develop Strait secure for the benefit of As a part of the report card process, a model which will see a staged future generations) island community land and sea devolution of agreed land and sea profiles were prepared for each of management responsibilities to GBK For further information, please visit the 17 inhabited islands. The profiles and RNTBCs. This is in line with the www.tsra.gov.au or contact Ned outline key environmental features intention with which GBK was set up. David on [email protected]