Mongabay · Klima & Natur

Indigenous Knowledge Highlights Reef-Mangrove Connection

A collaboration between Bardi Jawi rangers, traditional owners, and the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) has shed light on the crucial link between mangrove and reef ecosystems in supporting fisheries.

For ten years, the Bardi Jawi people of northwestern Australia's Kimberley region have partnered with AIMS to study and protect their traditional fishing grounds, which include mangrove and reef areas. The Bardi Jawi, who identify as "Saltwater People," have a diet deeply connected to the health of their marine environment.

Their traditional lands encompass the Bardi Jawi Indigenous Protected Area and the Bardi Jawi Gaarra Marine Park. A key finding from their collaborative research confirms the long-held Bardi Jawi traditional ecological knowledge regarding the interconnectedness of reefs and mangroves in sustaining fisheries.

This research has directly informed the management plans for both the Indigenous Protected Area and the marine park.

AI-samenvatting op basis van de bron.