Several recent government policy reviews released in 2026, including the newly released review of the National Harvest Strategy Guidelines1 and the Commonwealth fisheries policy review,2 have highlighted the need to better develop mechanisms to meaningfully partner with Indigenous groups. In this presentation we share key findings for the path forward in Australia, based on an international review of 13 long term, mutually beneficial collaborative Indigenous fisheries initiatives, and considering current progress in Australian fisheries.
Broadly speaking and over the long-term, adoption of a co-management model in Australia consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, will support the development of equitable relationships between Indigenous nations and the Australian government.
In the context of the existing fisheries management system, we describe the development of regional Indigenous fisheries forums, and supporting strategic fisheries and Sea Country plans, as an achievable and mutually beneficial foundational initiative, applicable to all jurisdictions. This follows the now well-developed nation-wide model of iwi fisheries forums in Aotearoa/NZ, as well as a range of other examples across the globe that are more localised in nature.
We describe the proposed model, and examples of these initiatives. We highlight that such mechanisms have supported the development of harvest strategies, localised spatial management responses, and annual catch allocations, in ways which recognise Indigenous people’s fishing rights, government's legislative obligations, and standards embedded within scientific management frameworks.