Two-Eyed Seeing
Knowledge sharing to inform freshwater fisheries management
Project purpose
This project is about working with NSW Aboriginal communities to identify freshwater cultural fishery values and supporting communities to use their cultural knowledge to influence sustainable management of freshwater native fish.
What is Two-Eyed Seeing? "Two-Eyed Seeing: learning to see from one eye with the strengths of Indigenous knowledges and ways of knowing, and from the other eye with the strengths of Western knowledges and ways of knowing and learning to use both these eyes together, for the benefit of all.” (“Etuaptnumk” - Mi'kmaw Elder Albert Marshall in Fall 2004,)”
This is the first year of the project and is focused on identifying, and developing relationships with communities in two regions which:
- Are willing to actively participate and collaborate in a project that will involve knowledge sharing on freshwater fish
- Can establish a group to participate in the project that has appropriate representation from the community
The communities have been selected and we are working with them to establish or identify a project advisory group. The advisory group and the project team will develop a genuine partnership to design a community-led research strategy to work towards a greater appreciation of cultural knowledge and practices within fisheries management.
The project aims to empower participating Aboriginal communities and fishery managers by providing a pathway for the inclusion of cultural fisheries and cultural in decision-making processes, through an equal exchange of knowledge and learning by co-designing the program. The pillars of this project are reciprocity, empowerment, and integrity.
The project team is committed to listening and learning, and supporting Aboriginal communities to build knowledge, skills, and capabilities to participate in native fish management.
We are committed to protecting Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property, and we will operate in line with the principles of Free, Prior and Informed Consent. All project data will be owned by the Community.
If you would like more information about the project, please reach out through our email twoeyedseeing@alluvium.com.au or call 0400 911 450.
If successful, the project will continue to phase two commencing mid 2025. Involvement in the project will be renumerated, to recognise Aboriginal communities' knowledge and time invested.