AFMA and Anindilyakwa Sea Rangers

AFMA and Anindilyakwa Sea Rangers

AFMA officers strengthened links with Anindilyakwa Sea Rangers during a recent visit to Groote Eyelandt. From left: Badu Marine Ranger Troy Stow, Sea Rangers Coordinator Gavin Enever, Mechanic Stewart Chettle, Anindilyakwa Sea Rangers Russel Lahara and Eddie Lalara, AFMA Fisheries Officer Paul Seden, Anindilyakwa Sea Ranger Ray Roberts and AFMA Fisheries Officer Allan Speckter. Photo by Peter Wildekamp, AFMA.

During a recent Northern Prawn Fishery patrol AFMA fisheries officers visited the Anindilyakwa Sea Rangers on Groote Eylandt, an island situated on the western side of the Gulf of Carpentaria, approximately 600km southeast of Darwin.

The Anindilyakwa Sea Ranger program is funded by the Northern Territory and Australian Governments and employs 19 full-time Indigenous Sea Rangers. The role of the Sea Rangers is to assist with land and sea management programs, carry out surveillance activities and maintain strong links between western management strategies and the traditional story lines of Indigenous people in the eastern gulf.

During the visit, Sea Rangers Coordinator Gavin Enever showed AFMA officers the new $350,000 Anindilyakwa Ocean Cylinder vessel, which variously acts as a patrol boat, people mover and Indigenous tour boat, and AFMA provided the sea rangers with contact details to assist them in their compliance role.

The Anindilyakwa are the traditional owners of Groote Eylandt, a unique and diverse environment featuring pristine beaches, spring water swimming holes, open woodland, rainforest, red sand dunes and rock art which is thousands of years old.

For more information please contact Paul Seden, Fisheries Officer on 08 8942 2897 or paul.seden@afma.gov.au.