Plenary Presentation Australian Marine Sciences Association Annual Meeting 2023

Progress in facilitating genuine reef research partnerships with Australian Traditional Owners (#1)

Bob Muir 1 , Manuwuri Traceylee Forester 1 , Martial Depczynski 2 , Jordan Ivey 1 , Libby Evans-Illidge 1
  1. AIMS, Townsville MC, QLD, Australia
  2. AIMS, Perth, WA, Australia

For millennia, Traditional Owners have held inherent rights, interests and knowledge of Australian reefs.  The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) is implementing an institutional research governance model to respect and uphold these rights and interests to achieve genuine research partnerships with Traditional Owners [1, 2].  We present progress in implementing this approach since the presentation provided to ACRS 2022.  Our focus on processes to seek and obtain Free Prior Informed Consent upholds Lore and positions Traditional Owners as decision makers on their sea Country.  This approach supports aspirations within the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples [3], which are not yet embraced in the regulatory framework in Australia.  Indigenous interest in coral reef sea Country is especially significant in Australia given continuous occupation of coastal areas at least since the time of the last glacial maximum when areas such as the Great Barrier Reef were a vast inhabited coastal plain [4].

Case studies of Traditional Owner partnerships in reef restoration science and reef monitoring will be presented, along with new initiatives in meaningful training and capacity building.  The AIMS approach has influenced others involved in reef science and management in Australia including across the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program.  Besides celebrating significant success, this ‘warts and all’ presentation will also describe the challenges and lessons learnt along the way.

  1. [1] E. Evans-Illidge, T. Forester, M. Depczynski, E. Duggan and D. Souter, “AIMS Indigenous Partnerships Plan - from engagement to partnerships,” Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, 2020.
  2. [2] AIMS, “Indigenous Partnerships Policy,” Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, 2021.
  3. [3] UN, “United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples,” 2007. [Online]. Available: https://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/declaration-on-the-rights-of-indigenous-peoples.html. [Accessed 2022].
  4. [4] P. D. Nunn and N. J. Reid, “Aboriginal memories of inundation of the Australian coast dating from more than 7000 years ago.,” Australian Geographer, vol. 47, no. 1, pp. 11-47, 2016.