QPWS and Traditional Owners Re-sign Hunting Agreement

Acting Environment Minister Rod Welford has welcomed the re-signing of an agreement which will protect the turtle and dugong populations in the Pine River Management Area, north of Weipa.

Mr Welford said Traditional Owners Angumathimaree Paynerenhnama had re-signed an agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency which prohibited the taking of turtle and dugong except by those people recognised as Traditional Owners of the area.

“Anyone not a recognised as Traditional Owners of the area can be charged under the Nature Conservation Act if they take turtle and dugong,” Mr Welford said.

“This Agreement does not restrict the activities of Traditional Owners but identifies a process by which people caught doing the wrong thing will be dealt with appropriately.

“The Angumathimaree Thanaquith Aboriginal Corporation will issue Traditional Owners with hunting authorisations to take no more than five turtles and five dugongs a year for customary purposes.

“The Traditional Owners of the Pine River Management Area are to be congratulated for taking this initiative and we are very keen to see it work.”

Angumathimaree Thanaquith Aboriginal Corporation spokesman, Mervyn Wales, said Traditional Owners were concerned at the level of unauthorised hunting of these important species.

“Only Traditional Owners have the Native Title right to hunt these species on their country,” Mr Wales said.

“If you are a not a Traditional Owner of the Pine River Management Area and you are hunting, you are not only breaking our customary lore and showing great disrespect for us and our people before us, you are also breaking the State law and can be charged.

“The agreement by our Traditional Owners will assist the authorities to
prosecute anyone found hunting illegally in our country and to tightly manage our own take.”

Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service Northern Region Director, Clive Cook,
said QPWS officers, with assistance from Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol and the Queensland Police Service, would carry out regular patrols as well as checks at boat ramps.

“This will ensure that people are doing the right thing and they are respecting the traditional obligations of the Traditional Owners.

“People who have turtle or dugong either in their boat or vehicle in the Pine River Management Area Officers will be asked to produce their hunting authorisations.

“Signs are being erected at boat launching areas around Weipa and leaflets will be distributed shortly to explain the agreement,” Mr Cook said.

Media contact: (Minister’s office) 3336 8004 or Mark Read, Manager Conservation Services Unit, Northern Region QPWS 4046 6654