A Tasmanian Aboriginal corporation has secured long-term abalone fishing rights after the finalisation of an agreement with the Tasmanian government.
Announced at the weekend, the Land and Sea Aboriginal Corporation Tasmania (LSACT) has secured a long-term lease and buy back arrangement of 40 abalone units at Musselroe Bay in the state's far north-east, a deal it says "paves the way for truth-telling and treaty".
LSACT board member Dr Emma Lee said the agreement "provides critical recognition of the cultural and social significance of sea country to the Tasmanian Aboriginal people".
"When European settlers arrived, they not only took ownership of our land, they also took control of the sea, including the abalone that sustained our people for over 40,000 years," Dr Lee said.
"Now, over 200 years later, abalone is coming back to Tasmanian Aboriginal people."
The landmark agreement follows a successful three-year lease, which saw LSACT establish a local market for abalone while creating training and employment pathways for Aboriginal people in Tasmania.
LSACT board chair Rodney Dillon said the agreement will have positive cultural, economic and social impacts for Aboriginal people in Tasmania.
"I truly believe the cultural and economic empowerment made possible by this deal will help close the gap to reduce juvenile justice interventions and bring benefits to Tasmanian Aboriginal people, Mr Dillon told The Examiner.
The agreement follows developments regarding LSACT's subsidiary, Tasmanian Aboriginal Seafoods - the first global Indigenous abalone commercial fishery with full charity status - which in recent weeks recruited a manager for its Wave to Plate program, an initiative which aims support up to 60 Aboriginal trainees across multiple industries.
LSACT says the Wave to Plate program will give Tasmanian Aboriginal people access to diverse range of skills and experiences from obtaining boat licenses, deck hand and diving, through to seafood processing, marketing and distribution and hospitality and tourism.
In commending the government's decision, Dr Lee said support and investment in commercial cultural fisheries was one of the key recommendations of the Tasmanian Government's 2021 Pathway to Truth-Telling and Treaty report.
"I truly believe the cultural and economic empowerment made possible by this deal will help close the gap and bring us closer to a treaty with Tasmanian Aboriginal people," Dr Lee said.
LSACT says the agreement, announced at Mannalargenna Day - the annual tebrakunna country celebration of Tasmanian Aboriginal culture, will provide certainty and confidence to continue building the abalone supply chain, which focuses on making as much product as possible available to domestic customers.
While currently supplying product to Tasmanian restaurants, LSACT says Tasmanian Aboriginal Seafoods is close to securing arrangements to retail abalone direct to consumers.