For thousands of years, Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders have fished, hunted and gathered in the waters, adjacent coastal areas and on the islands in the Great Barrier Reef. For Indigenous peoples, turtles and dugongs hold cultural, spiritual, social and economic significance. They are very important for special social and cultural celebrations and are an important source of food for some remote communities. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Zoning Plan 2003 introduced a system to accredit Traditional Use of Marine Resources Agreements (TUMRAs) developed by Traditional Owners. A TUMRA is developed by Traditional Owners and is used to manage traditional use activities such as dugong and turtle hunting in specified areas of the Marine Park. BDTNRM aims to facilitate to development of TUMRA’s with TO groups for the Burdekin Dry Tropics Region where either the traditional owner groups or GBRMPA have expressed interest in such an agreement.

NRM plan Management Action(s) and/or Targets (MAT’s):

CAM3.1.1(ii) In cooperation with key stakeholders support negotiated agreements between traditional owners, management agencies and other relevant stakeholders regarding the management and use of marine resources.