Aboriginal Fishing Advisory Council

Background

The Aboriginal Fishing Advisory Council (AFAC) has been established under Section 229 of the Fisheries Management Act 1994 to provide strategic level advice to the Minister for Agriculture on issues affecting Aboriginal fishing. The Council will continue to play an important role in the development of cultural fishing policy as well as exploring commercial opportunities for Aboriginal communities associated with fishing activities.

Functions

The functions of the Council are to:

  • advise the Minister on any matter that is referred to it and
  • advise the Minister on any other matter it considers relevant to the Aboriginal fishing sector.

Within these broad functions the Council has focus on the following priority areas:

  • Aboriginal interests in the management of fisheries
  • Aboriginal access to fisheries resources for cultural purposes
  • Commercial/economic opportunities for Aboriginal people flowing from fisheries activity
  • Advice on appropriate cultural awareness training for DPI Fisheries staff
  • Advice on research priorities relating to Aboriginal people’s connection with the fisheries resource
  • Employment and training for Aboriginal people within DPI and Aboriginal involvement in each sector
  • Advice on expenditure from the Aboriginal Fishing Trust Fund.

Enquiries regarding the Council can be made to DPI on Aboriginal.fishing@dpi.nsw.gov.au

AFAC membership

The AFAC is composed of up to fourteen members, as prescribed under the Fisheries Management (General) Regulation 2019.

The membership of the Council must include the following:

  • Aboriginal persons appointed to represent different regions of the State (not more than 10 persons in total),
  • one other Aboriginal person,
  • one person appointed as a representative of NTSCORP Limited,
  • one person appointed as a representative of the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council,
  • a senior officer of the Department (non-voting member).

The make-up of the Council aims to provide for knowledge and experience of:

  • Aboriginal cultural fishing
  • social and cultural significance of commercial fishing for Aboriginal people
  • fisheries issues affecting Aboriginal people and communities.

The AFAC members also provide knowledge of and capacity to speak for the local region on fisheries related issues.

Current AFAC membership

Member name and regiondProfile

Currently Vacant

Region 1 Far West

 

Currently vacant

Region 2 North West

 

Mr Michael Nolan

Region 3 Central

 

Mr David Carter

Region 4 South Western

 

Currently vacant

Region 5 Northern

 

Ms Regina Moran

Region 6 Far North Coast

 

Mr Wayne Anderson

Region 7 North Coast

 

Mr Ross McEntyre

Region 8 Sydney and NSW Central Coast

 

Currently vacant

Region 9 South Coast

 

Currently vacant

Region 10 Far South Coast

 

Dr Laura Parker

Other Aboriginal Person
appointed by the Minister

 

Ms Natalie Rotumah

Nominee of NTSCORP

 

Cllr Peter Smith

Nominee of NSWALC

 

Ms Laura McNamara

Senior Officer of NSW DPI

Map of AFAC membership regions

AFAC map