North Australian FISH FINDER TM forums

So if the traditional land owners are now going to making a living off the govt (taxpayers) paying for access does this mean that the same traditional landowners will now have to pay full measure ie. No bullsh#t subsidies just like the rest of us?!?........................................................................................................ Yeah I thought I could hear crickets...........
I have no issue with paying a modest general access fee to fish similar to Tasmania for example. However, I would expect that like any profit making enterprise, and make no mistake this is what lies at the heart of it, the beneficiaries of said profit would be henceforth be treated like any other individual in Australia with regards to taxes, human services, benefits ect.

The NLC issued 2 different versions of the access documents.

Stokesy77 found the first version on 20 th Dec and put it up as a post. It said 2 significant things.

Firstly that the NT Govt had not been negotiating access in good faith and secondly that the effective date of the introduction was 1 January 2017.

There was a second version issued on 22 Dec which Stokesy put up as an "update".

This later version changed the introduction date to 1 July 2017. Basically postponed it for 6 months. It also dropped reference to the NR Govt's lack of negotiations.

Why the sudden change?

I'm guessing that the NLC was simply putting pressure on the NT to come up with something or the changes would start on 1 Jan. The question is, what (how much) or what promises (again how much) the NT Govt came up with to delay for 6 months.

If there was a contest amongst Govts on how to make any social or economic activity so divisive, uncertain and complicated, the Commonwealth Govt's Aboriginal Land Rights (NT) Act 1978 would have to win hands down.

Hopefully a similar outcome as happened previously will occur, and that the NLC is simply applying a lever for some concessions.

Over on the Dampier Peninsula in WA the traditional owners are running tourist fishing camps and welcoming paying visitors with open arms. There isn't any fuss about who fishes where. Would be good to see it happening in the NT.

"Hopefully a similar outcome as happened previously will occur"
That is not the answer it is just a compromise putting this off until another day, this whole thing is about access to 'inter-tidal' waters as I see it and those waters should be taken completely out of the equation and be accessible to all recreational fishing. NO COMPROMISE.

You are coming from a long way back Cathie.

Those inter-tidal issues were sorted out 10 years or so ago in the High Court. The TOs own them. So they can decide who uses their waters and the conditions under which the waters are used. To date they've mainly been talking about permits to access. Basically these permits are individual land use agreements under Mr Whitlam's great push forward on social issues.

They can also ask the NT Administrator to extend the boundaries for a further 2km out from the Mean Low Water Springs if they wish. They're called Sea Closures adjoining TO land (including inter-tidal zones).

They've done that already in a couple of places and there's nothing to prevent them doing that in more areas.

No permit required for Durack Lakes, might be the last place we can fish

Here we go . Time to sell the Barra boats and buy a Blue water Rig

ronje wrote:You are coming from a long way back Cathie.

Those inter-tidal issues were sorted out 10 years or so ago in the High Court. The TOs own them. So they can decide who uses their waters and the conditions under which the waters are used. To date they've mainly been talking about permits to access. Basically these permits are individual land use agreements under Mr Whitlam's great push forward on social issues.

They can also ask the NT Administrator to extend the boundaries for a further 2km out from the Mean Low Water Springs if they wish. They're called Sea Closures adjoining TO land (including inter-tidal zones).

They've done that already in a couple of places and there's nothing to prevent them doing that in more areas.

The sooner that people realise this the better we all will be. ive heard so many people whinging and saying the govt should be sacked etc etc. nothing to do with the govt, it was the h/court decision.

now the govt needs to work with the to and time is running out.

It is all about the government negotiating an outcome. Needs to be a lot of talking in the next six months!

Latest update...


17 February 2017
The Northern Land Council yesterday convened a meeting in Darwin attended by representatives of the NLC, Northern Territory Government, the Amateur Fishermen’s Association of the Northern Territory, the Northern Territory Seafood Council, the Northern Territory Guided Fishing Industry Association and the Environmental Defender’s Office.
Parties noted the ongoing permit free intertidal access arrangements under existing agreements relating to seven coastal areas in the NT.
It was the first meeting for many years of user groups with interests in the NT’s intertidal zone, and all parties agreed that a new, cooperative and productive approach is needed to implement matters outstanding from the High Court’s 2008 Blue Mud Bay decision – in particular, access to and management of the Aboriginal-owned intertidal zone.
All parties discussed their issues openly and constructively and committed to ongoing, good faith negotiations.
Discussion focused on the need to find solutions and develop plans to achieve:
• Understanding of the concerns of Traditional Owners and their aspirations for the intertidal zone
• Resolution of immediate uncertainties about access
• Long term certainty for all user groups
• Prioritising consultations with affected Aboriginal communities
• A five-year strategy to implement Marine Ranger fisheries compliance powers
• Ecological sustainability of fisheries across the NT
The parties will work together to develop recommendations to be put to the next meeting of the NLC’s Full Council in May 2017, and provide input into a long-term work plan.
The second meeting of the newly convened Negotiating Committee will be held 13 March 2017.
Joe Morrison, Chief Executive Officer