Region 1

Far West NSW

Position vacant

Region 2

North West NSW

Joe Flick

Joe is a proud Ullaroi/Gamilroi man from Western NSW. Joe is a freshwater man and has a passion for the river and the stories of the travels of freshwater fish (Guddo). Joe endorses the sustainability of freshwater fishing and is a member of the Western Catchment Management Authority’s Aboriginal Advisory Group that promotes and participates in the effort to reduce the number of noxious fish in the Murray/Darling river system – the European Carp.

Region 3

Central NSW

Jason Wilson

Jason is a young Traditional Owner of Gamilaroi Youalaroi Murri descent from the Walgett Collarenebri area, who has fished all his life. Jason has an intimate understanding of the rivers, creeks, billabongs, warrambools and lakes, and a strong understanding of the issues effecting Aboriginal fishing in the State.

Region 4

South Western NSW

Region 5

Northern NSW

Jennifer Williams

Jennifer is a Githabul woman who has a strong understanding of cultural fishing laws and provides an extensive knowledge of the Githabul people’s association with the northern rivers and fishing. Jennifer is also on the board of directors for the Githabul National Parks Management Committee, whose role is to advise on the care, control and management of eleven National Parks under the Githabul Indigenous Land Use Agreement.

Region 6

Far North Coast NSW

Eileen McLeay

Eileen is a Yaegl woman from the north coast of NSW, and has years of experience fishing in the waters of the Clarence River and its estuaries. Eileen has extensive kinship relationships with Aboriginal communities from Tweed Heads to Coffs Harbour.

Region 7

North Coast NSW

Chels Marshall

Chels is from the north coast of NSW and has extensive cultural knowledge of land and sea. Chels also has experience working with communities in this region in natural resource management matters.

Region 8

Sydney and NSW Central Coast

Anthony Williams

Anthony is a Daruk man from Sydney. Born the son of a fisherman, Anthony worked on commercial fishing trawlers during his youth. More recently, Anthony has worked closely with oyster growers on the NSW coast, developing engineering production methods to increase productivity.

Region 9

South Coast NSW

Dean Kelly

Dean has lived in the Botany Bay area all his life, and has fished most of the coastal waters extending from Sydney to Eden. Dean has gained valuable fishing experience learning from Aboriginal elders along the NSW and Victorian coast. Dean’s membership on AFAC is endorsed and supported by the La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council.

Region 10

Far South Coast NSW

Danny Chapman (Chairperson)

Danny is a saltwater Walbunga man from the south coast of NSW. A major part of his education was learning how to fish, dive and gather food from the sea and estuaries. Danny has commercial fishing knowledge, and has been actively involved in building recognition of Aboriginal people’s right to fish at local, state, national and international levels.

Other Aboriginal Person
appointed by the Minister

Associate Professor Stephan Schnierer

Stephan is currently an academic in the School of Environmental Sciences and Management, at Southern Cross University, and is currently undertaking research on Indigenous cultural fishing in NSW. He has extensive knowledge and experience in fisheries biology and management, Indigenous environmental management and resource rights and Traditional Fishing Knowledge. Stephan has a strong belief in the connection between Indigenous culture and the environment and works as an advocate for the need to review and change environmental policy and legislation that hinders or prevents Indigenous cultural practice.

Nominee of NTSCORP

Natalie Rotumah (Deputy Chairperson)

Natalie is a proud Minjungbal Bundjalung woman from Tweed Heads South, who has an extensive knowledge of Cultural Fishing.  Born the grand-daughter of a deep sea fisherman and an oyster farmer, Natalie understands the complexities of the issues affecting Aboriginal People in the industry first hand and has been involved in the fight for many years to protect the ‘Cultural Fishing’ rights of Aboriginal People. Natalie is currently employed as the General Manager of NTSCORP Ltd.

Nominee of NSWALC

Position vacant

A Senior Officer of NSW DPI

Peter Turnell

Peter is the Director of the Recreational & Indigenous Fisheries management unit within the Department of Primary Industries.