Indigenous Partnerships
Indigenous Partnerships
WAMSI is dedicated to advancing our understanding of Western Australia’s marine environments through collaborative research and partnerships. A key focus for WAMSI is fostering strong relationships with Indigenous communities, recognising the invaluable knowledge and expertise Traditional Owners bring to marine science and conservation.
Through our research programs, WAMSI acknowledges and respects the culture, values, practices and depth of knowledge of Indigenous people. An essential element of our approach is capturing the voices of Traditional Owners in marine science plans, programs and partnerships, and returning science knowledge to Traditional Owners on country.
WAMSI has overseen the development of tools for working on sea country with Traditional Owners and incorporating Indigenous voices and knowledge into research.
Through the Blueprint and Blueprint Refresh, WAMSI recognises the cultural importance of Sea Country to Traditional Owners and their desire to be involved in marine science for their own healthy Sea Country aspirations. This knowledge sharing and possible partnership agreements should be considered from the onset of any research program.
Collaborations
Kimberley Indigenous Saltwater Science (KISSP)
A collaborative initiative led by WAMSI to integrate Indigenous knowledge and management practices into marine conservation and management efforts in the Kimberley region.
KISSP Guidelines for Researchers
Guidelines to assist researchers in delivering their results back to the community and to include Indigenous perspectives and cultural insights to make them more relevant to the Traditional Owners.
Bardi Jawa monitoring program
A long-term monitoring program with the Bardi Jawi Rangers at One Arm Point in the north west of Western Australia to develop resource baselines and setup monitoring programs in designated Indigenous Protected Areas.
Shark Bay (Gathaagudu) Knowledge Gaps
The Shark Bay Science Plan was developed through extensive stakeholder engagement, involving government agencies, researchers, community members, and the Malgana Traditional Owners.
Gaarragoon Guardians – Bardi Jawi Sea Country Documentary
A short documentary tells the story of two-way learning, where traditional knowledge and western science come together to monitor the health of sea country on the Dampier Peninsula. The film showcases the work done by the Bardi Jawi Rangers and the Australian Institute of Marine Science as part of WAMSI’s Kimberley Marine Research Program.
Tidal Moon marine research vessel
Tidal Moon has been working with scientists from WAMSI’s partner institutions and with CSIRO to better understand the role of seagrass in Shark Bay’s ecosystem and the best ways to prevent future losses.
