QLD: Stop dugong hunting: Aboriginal leader

AAP General News (Australia)
08-28-2009
QLD: Stop dugong hunting: Aboriginal leader

By Evan Schwarten

CAIRNS, Aug 28 AAP - A leading Aboriginal figure has called for traditional owners
to ban the controversial practice of dugong hunting.

North Queensland Land Council chairman Terry O'Shane has urged traditional owners to
impose a total ban on hunting the endangered species and place restrictions on turtle
hunting.

His comments come after reports members of the Yarrabah community, south of Cairns,
had been selling dugong and turtle meat on the black market for up to $50 a kilogram.

Mr O'Shane said although traditional owners had the right to hunt both species, they
had a responsibility to protect the environment.

"What I'm talking to the mobs about is developing a responsible response to those rights,"

he told AAP.

"We need to protect the eco-system.

"Dugong is an endangered species and we have to recognise that too."

He said he would meet with clan groups across north Queensland in the next few weeks
to encourage them to impose management plans for traditional hunting.

"If they say no they're not happy about that that's ok but I need to put that on the
table, it needs to be part of the discussion."

Mr O'Shane said his tribal group, the Yalanji clan, had banned dugong hunting in its
traditional area north of Cairns and had imposed tough restrictions on turtle hunting.

Traditional owners in the area were issued with traditional hunting licenses and those
who defied the ban were punished, he said.

"We have people that go out and do the wrong thing and it's up to us to pull them into
line, and we do."

Mr O'Shane will meet with community leaders at Yarrabah, south of Cairns, to discuss
allegations of profiteering from the traditional hunting rights.

"If it is happening, it's not for people to come along and start to profiteer from
people's native title rights," he said.

"You can't sell it, they shouldn't be doing it, they should be prosecuted."

AAP ews/pjo/cjb

KEYWORD: DUGONG

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