Recreational Fishing in the Northern region Welcome to our Sea Country

The coastline of the mainland is 5,400km long and offshore islands contribute a further 5,500km of coastline. Around 55% or 6,024km of the coastline is owned by Traditional Aboriginal Owner groups in the

r region. It remains one of the world’s e h is F most intact marine environments, rich in s e m Ja natural resources, biodiversity and cultural T/ N m heritage, and supports a range of regional ris Tou and local economies and livelihoods and contains many iconic fishing areas.

Code of Conduct You must comply with the following principles when entering tidal Aboriginal land:

1. Recognise the cultural and spiritual 3. Respect Traditional Aboriginal connections of Traditional Owners to Owners’ waters. their land and waters. 4. Respect the role of Aboriginal rangers − Respect Aboriginal cultural carrying out sea country management activities and ceremonies and activities, including fisheries observe restricted access to compliance. temporarily closed areas. − Aboriginal ranger groups operate − Do not land ashore without first across most of the Northern obtaining an access permit from Territory coast delivering a range the Northern Land Council. of management services. − Be courteous to other water users − Respect rangers with authority as and those who belong to the local fisheries inspectors to carry out Aboriginal community. fisheries compliance measures in − Take care when boating to avoid accordance with the Fisheries Act. damaging sensitive areas. − Some sea country is managed 2. Observe all fishing regulations. as Indigenous Protected Areas. − Report any suspicious fishing 5. Be CrocWise. activity to the local ranger group, − Salt water crocodiles inhabit the Northern Land Council or estuaries and coastwaters in the water police (Fishwatch Hotline Northern Territory. Be CrocWise 1800 891 136). and do not swim in any water or − Stay safe on the water and approach the edge of waterways. always observe rules and Clean fish away from the water’s safety standards. edge. See becrocwise.nt.gov.au Access to Blue Mud Bay Aboriginal Waters High Court Decision While some Traditional Owner groups welcome The 2008 Blue Mud Bay High Court decision the use of their land and waters by recreational confirmed Aboriginal peoples’ ownership fishers (green and yellow areas) others may of 55% of the Territory mainland coastline, decide to restrict access (red areas). which is shared amongst hundreds of Traditional Owner groups. Long-term access agreements on Aboriginal land have been in place at a number of the Aboriginal land is private property and like any Northern Territory’s iconic fishing areas since other privately owned land, landowners decide 2013. In the east, these areas include the who can enter and remain on their country. McArthur River and the Sir Edward Pellew group For many hundreds of years Traditional Owners of islands near Borroloola, and sea country have shared their sea country, firstly with around in northeast *. Macassans and traders from our north and In the west, long-term access agreements are more recently with others, including travellers, in place for areas around Darwin and Bynoe business people and fishers. harbours, and Anson Bay, Daly River, Port Keats and . No permission is required to It is the Northern Land Council’s statutory access these areas. responsibility to help Traditional Owners manage their country. The application process Almost 85% of recreational fishing in the for the Blue Mud Bay registration has been Territory happens in the greater Darwin area develop for recreational fishing on tidal between the East Alligator River in Kakadu Aboriginal land. It is called the Blue Mud Bay National Park and west to the Daly River and registration in recognition of the history High Anson Bay. Court decision. Under new arrangements, Traditional Owners It is important that recreational fishers respect have agreed to allow access to nearly 2000km Traditional Owners’ decisions and comply with of tidal Aboriginal land under a Blue Mud Bay the Code of Conduct. registration process. How to Register Other Permissions Applying for a Blue Mud Bay registration If you plan to drive across Aboriginal land on is quick, simple and free. To register visit the roads marked in orange on the map you will nlc.org.au. Your documents will be need a separate transit permit. These are also automatically issued to you via return email. available on the Northern Land Council website It will include a map and Terms and Conditions, at nlc.org.au. and will provide you with access to the Blue To fish in waters managed by the Tiwi Land Mud Bay Access Area until 31 December 2022. Council or the Anindilyakwa Land Council () please contact those agencies. For pastoral properties and Top End national SCAN THE QR CODE parks, you will need permission from either the WITH YOUR PHONE’S pastoral lease holder, Parks or NT CAMERA TO BE TAKEN Parks and Wildlife. TO THE NLC’S WEBSITE. *Contact Dhimurru Aboriginal Corporation for recreational permits for areas around Nhulunbuy. CROKER ISLANDS

GARIG GUNAK BARLU NATIONAL PARK GOULBURN Access to Blue Mud Bay ISLANDS

Aboriginal Waters High Court Decision TIWI ISLANDS M MINI U R WESSEL While some Traditional Owner groups welcome The 2008 Blue Mud Bay High Court decision MINI G A ISLANDS VAN N the use of their land and waters by recreational confirmed Aboriginal peoples’ ownership E CAPE DIEMAN L GOOMADEER MANINGRIDA fishers (green and yellow areas) others may of 55% of the Territory mainland coastline, L VERNON HOTHAM GULF COOPER A RIVER

decide to restrict access (red areas). which is shared amongst hundreds of CREEK R

ISLANDS O •

A Traditional Owner groups. D • Long-term access agreements on Aboriginal EAST MILINGIMBI BUCKINGHAM BAY NHULUNBUY ALLIGATOR • land have been in place at a number of the Aboriginal land is private property and like any ARNHEM RIVER • GUNBALANYA BAY CAPE ARNHEM Northern Territory’s iconic fishing areas since other privately owned land, landowners decide DARWIN • GLYDE 2013. In the east, these areas include the who can enter and remain on their country. McArthur River and the Sir Edward Pellew group JABIRU RIVER For many hundreds of years Traditional Owners • FOG BLYTH of islands near Borroloola, and sea country FOG BAY RD S have shared their sea country, firstly with BAY S RIVER around Nhulunbuy in northeast Arnhem Land*. E

Macassans and traders from our north and C

FINNISS C A

In the west, long-term access agreements are RIVER KOOLATONG

more recently with others, including travellers, A

in place for areas around Darwin and Bynoe PERON BATCHELOR D RIVER I D business people and fishers. • OA

MARINDJA RD R

ISLANDS R harbours, and Anson Bay, Daly River, Port Keats G

M N

It is the Northern Land Council’s statutory I E and Moyle River. No permission is required to H ANSON ARNHEM LAND N

responsibility to help Traditional Owners S A N access these areas. BAY TU R A M A WALKER manage their country. The application process MALAK R L BLUE T KAKADU A RIVER Almost 85% of recreational fishing in the MALAK H TR MUD BAY for the Blue Mud Bay registration has been I N Territory happens in the greater Darwin area ALT GHWA NATIONAL E develop for recreational fishing on tidal Y C PARK between the East Alligator River in Kakadu Aboriginal land. It is called the Blue Mud Bay DALY RIVER National Park and west to the Daly River and registration in recognition of the history High MOYLE Anson Bay. RIVER GROOTE Court decision. ROSE Under new arrangements, Traditional Owners RIVER EYLANDT It is important that recreational fishers respect have agreed to allow access to nearly 2000km Traditional Owners’ decisions and comply with of tidal Aboriginal land under a Blue Mud Bay • D the Code of Conduct. PORT KEATS ROAD A • WADEYE RO registration process. KATHERINE BULWAR DALY RIVER/ • M U PORT KEATS ALT N NGUKURR ROPER How to Register Other Permissions • RIVER

Applying for a Blue Mud Bay registration If you plan to drive across Aboriginal land on VICTORIA HWY ROPER HIGHWAY is quick, simple and free. To register visit the roads marked in orange on the map you will MARRA nlc.org.au. Your documents will be need a separate transit permit. These are also VICTORIA ALT automatically issued to you via return email. available on the Northern Land Council website RIVER It will include a map and Terms and Conditions, at nlc.org.au. NATHAN RIVER RDLIMMEN and will provide you with access to the Blue BIGHT SIR EDWARD To fish in waters managed by the Tiwi Land LEGEND PELLEW Mud Bay Access Area until 31 December 2022. RIVER Council or the Anindilyakwa Land Council ISLANDS ABORIGINAL LAND TRUSTS (ALT) CLOSED SEA (Groote Eylandt) please contact those agencies. BLUE MUD BAY REGISTRATION ACCESS (AUTOMATIC ISSUE) PUBLIC ROADS For pastoral properties and Top End national KING PERMIT FREE AREA (LONG TERM AGREEMENTS) ROADS REQUIRING NLC TRANSIT PERMIT ASH BAY SCAN THE QR CODE parks, you will need permission from either the FOR MORE DETAILED MAPS GO TO WITH YOUR PHONE’S RESTRICTED AREA (ON-GOING CONSULTATIONS*) pastoral lease holder, Parks Australia or NT WWW.NLC.ORG.AU CAMERA TO BE TAKEN Parks and Wildlife. • BORROLOOLA TO THE NLC’S WEBSITE. *Contact Dhimurru Aboriginal Corporation for recreational MCARTHUR permits for areas around Nhulunbuy. RIVER *The NLC is undertaking further consultations in regard to the Blue Mud Bay Access Area and will update this map as required, subject to the consent of Traditional Owners. Colours depicted across the mouth of waterways reflect access arrangements to the tidal waters within, unless otherwise defined. Refer to the Northern Land Council website at nlc.org.au for more detailed maps. NLC Head Office Katherine Office West Arnhem Office East Arnhem Office Borroloola/Barkly 45 Mitchell St 29 Katherine Tce 3 Flinders St Endeavour Sq Mara Mara Camp Darwin, NT 0801 Katherine, NT 0851 Jabiru, NT 0886 Nhulunbuy, NT 0880 Borroloola, NT 0854 Tel: (08) 8920 5100 Tel: (08) 8971 9899 Tel: (08) 8938 3000 Tel: (08) 8986 8500 Tel: (08) 8975 7500

For the most up-to-date information visit the Northern Land Council website at nlc.org.au and check the latest recreational fishing regulations by visiting the NT Fisheries website at nt.gov.au/marine. Printed March 2021