Maningrida fishermen start up sustainable family fishing enterprise

Three Maningrida fishermen, Don Wilton, Stuart Yirawara and Jimmy Olsen, have set up a fishing business in the community of Maningrida.
The men catch and sell the fish locally, with the long-term plan to have sustainable family fishing enterprises based on homelands, which provide opportunities to live and work on their country.
Setting up the business around six months ago, the men fish off the beach three to four times a week using nets, and work with around five to six family members under the Community Development Program (CDP).
All three men hold Aboriginal Coastal
Fishing Licences.
The men are supported by Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation (BAC) and have worked closely with Clem Bresson, Enterprise Development Manager for BAC in these early stages.
Currently, they hold a market night every Thursday where they sell around 70 kilograms of fish to Maningrida community members.
They have also supplied fish to the school, the aged care and private orders from Darwin that went on the Airnorth plane.
Interest to become fishermen in the community is spreading with 18 people attending the Certificate II in fishing operations on the first day.
NT Fisheries has also been providing training on a regular basis.
There is also a fourth licence holder who wants to set up a fishing base from his outstation in the future.