Monica Mulrennan (Visiting Fellow) School of Geography

Beyond Fishing: the connection of Indigenous Torres Strait Islander (northern Australia) Women to sea space

Monica E. Mulrennan,

Department of Geography, Planning and Environment,

Concordia University, Montreal

Documentation of the knowledge and practices of indigenous fishing societies has tended to focus on the contribution of men while the activities of women have been overlooked or, at best, narrowly described. Focusing on a small island community in eastern Torres Strait (northern Australia), and drawing on interviews, questionnaire surveys and participant observation, this presentation explores the nature and extent of indigenous Torres Strait Islander women’s engagement in fishing activities as well as their related knowledge, practices and motivations. In addition to debunking the myth of their limited participation in commercial fishing, the findings reveal the deeply-felt personal attachments and connections these women have to “solwata”. These are reflected in the extent to which the rhythms of the sea shape and define their daily routines, life histories and understanding of territory. The presentation concludes with a call for greater attention to the connections indigenous women have to sea space and for fisheries management to accommodate and support their increased participation in the formulation and implementation of contemporary fisheries policy.