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Strengthening the Sea

The Australian coastline is vast and diverse. There are sandy beaches, idyllic islands, spreading mangroves, steep cliffs, sharp rocks and ancient dune systems.

But coastlines are susceptible to environmental degradation.

Unsustainable fishing practices, like the littering of thousands of fishing nets across northern Australia, have caused cruel and widespread deaths of marine life. Predation by feral animals, for example pigs eating turtle eggs in Cape York, have drastically impacted native animal populations. The coastline is also Australia’s frontline against biosecurity threats, for example disease-bearing animals transported from countries to our north.

25 Indigenous Protected Areas include management of coastline and sea country, and over a quarter of ranger groups undertake a range of sea country management activities such as marine patrols, collecting discarded nets and other debris and turtle and dugong monitoring.

Country Needs People is a national not-for-profit organisation born from the support of hundreds of Traditional Owners around the country.

We pay our respects to all the First Nations people around Australia and their unbroken commitment to keep Country strong on land and sea. We acknowledge Indigenous partners, Traditional Owners, Elders past, present and emerging and extend our appreciation of their support and guidance of our daily work.

ALWAYS WAS, ALWAYS WILL BE, ABORIGINAL LAND.