Fishing Case Tests Economic Waters for Traditional Owners

Details of the lawsuit heard in the Australian High Court in December 2007 on whether the consent of the traditional owners is essential for Northern Territory (NT) fishers to trawl the intertidal zone of coastal waters within the boundaries of Aboriginal lands are presented. It is believed that the Court's verdict will be economically significant for fishers, traditional owners and the NT Government, and will also prove crucial for the possibility of Aboriginal participation in economic activities of the region.