A parliamentary inquiry into why South Coast Indigenous communities in New South Wales, Australia, continue to be prosecuted for cultural fishing got to the pointy end on Friday, August 19.
Thirteen years after the NSW government passed legislation to exempt Aboriginal cultural fishing from the catch limits that apply to recreational and commercial fishermen, it has yet to commence.
A parliamentary inquiry was established in November 2021 to investigate why the Fisheries Management Amendment Act 2009 hasn’t been implemented.
Much of the focus has been on why the Aboriginal fishermen of the South Coast continue to be prosecuted for catching abalone.
A trial local management plan began in Hastings on the north coast in June 2022, however it took years to build a good trusting relationship between the community and the DPI.
Two members from the steering committee for the Birpai Barray (Hastings) Aboriginal Cultural Fishing Local Management trial who testified at Friday’s hearing were asked if they would prefer Section 21AA be implemented or the local management plan trial be continued.