Indigenous participation in coastal management in the Northern Territory, Australia: issues and options

Abstract

The issue of Aboriginal participation in coastal management is pressing in the Northern Territory of Australia, given the current extent of Aboriginal land ownership and the potential for the proliferation of native title claims over the sea. This paper discusses Aboriginal involvement in coastal activities in the Northern Territory and identifies the extent to which coastal areas are owned by Aboriginal communities. Northern Territory law provides for sea closures adjacent to Aboriginal-owned land which restrict access to and use of such areas. Problems and opportunities associated with sea closures are examined. Two other Acts, relating to Sacred Sites and Native Title, are also important in determining indigenous rights over coastal and marine areas. Future possibilities for a negotiated outcome on indigenous sea rights are put forward.