Aboriginal sea claims in the Northern Territory of Australia

Abstract

In the Northern Territory of Australia Aboriginal sea claims have been given legislative recognition by providing for the closure of seas adjacent to Aboriginal land. Seventy-two percent of the Northern Territory's approximately 6,200 km coastline is Aboriginal land, thus making long stretches of it subject to closure under the Aboriginal Land Act. This paper discusses the policy and practice of sea closure legislation and recent developments with respect to Aboriginal interests in the seas of the Northern Territory. It is suggested that a multiple use management regime rather than a succession of sea closures is more likely to produce beneficial results for all sea users.