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General News

30 April, 2022

Traditional Owners Join The Fight To Protect The Great Barrier Reef

TO improve the inclusion and participation of Traditional Owners in the management of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, the Great Barrier Reef Crown-of- Thorns Starfish (COTS) Control and Leadership Program will train Traditional Owners of the Great Barrier Reef catchment, with a focus on conservation and ecosystem management, marine operations, and leadership.


Crown-of-Thorns Starfish
Crown-of-Thorns Starfish

Funded by the partnership between the Australian Government’s Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, the Program is the first of its kind to be co-designed with Reef Traditional Owners. 

The Great Barrier Reef Foundation, the Reef and Rainforest Research Centre and INLOC will implement the program in a collaborative effort to ensure Indigenous cultural considerations are taken into account in protecting the Reef and marine life. 

The organisations involved worked with a Traditional Owner Advisory Group for over 12 months to co-design this Program to ensure cultural sensitivity. 

Managing Director of the Great Barrier Reef Foundation (GBRF), Anna Marsden, said that the health of the Great Barrier Reef was a crucial issue in which Traditional Owners need to have a say. 

“The Great Barrier Reef is an irreplaceable ecosystem; however, outbreaks of coral-destroying crown-of-thorns starfish are a significant threat to its health,” Ms Marsden said. 

“The COTS Control Program is throwing a lifeline to corals, protecting the health of the Reef and breeding corals that are critical to supporting Reef resilience in the face of a changing climate. 

“The Foundation is proud to be a partner in this unique opportunity, which has been co-designed with Traditional Owners of the Great Barrier Reef to enable more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to participate in protecting the Reef and gain valuable skills in the process.” 

This co-designed Program tackles the challenge with daily on-Reef action. Every day, vessels and divers from the COTS Control program are out on the Reef to survey and remove Crown-Of- Thorns Starfish from areas that need it most. 

Managing Director of the Reef & Rainforest Research Centre (RRRC), Sheriden Morris, said Crown-of-thorns starfish posed a significant risk for the Great Barrier Reef and taking action is necessary. 

“Outbreaks of COTS pose a significant threat to the GBR. Through constraining these outbreaks and keeping more coral alive, we create more opportunities to build the overall resilience of the Reef,” Ms Morris said. 

The training is structured to give trainees a balance between classroom time and hands-on learning and ensure that participants maintain linkages in their home communities. 

The program incorporates block learning periods at the INLOC Training Centre in Cairns and community-based projects on-country over 18 months.

Chief Executive Officer of the INLOC Group Paul Boag said that joining the COTS program would offer many benefits. 

“We are recruiting 20 young Traditional Owners, aged between 20 and 30 years, to join this rewarding and challenging traineeship,” Mr Boag said. 

“Trainees will enjoy the full support of expert instructors, including indigenous mentors and pastoral care. 

“The Program covers both classroom and fieldwork (including deployments onboard COTS vessels). 

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for young people to earn an income while you are gaining valuable new skills, including SCUBA accreditation and boat management while playing a vital role in the protection of their environment.” 

More than 70 Traditional Owner groups span the length of the Great Barrier Reef and continue to maintain Lore and customs through custodial responsibilities and obligations. 

Interested candidates can apply for the traineeship by completing the online application form at  www.cotsto.org

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