Narooma Indigenous fishers have welcomed the "groundbreaking" approval of cultural net fishing in the Wagonga Inlet and Mummuga Lake.
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The NSW Department of Primary Industries said an authority had been issued for 12 months.
"Authority under section 37 of the Act has been issued to certain members of the Narooma Aboriginal Community to use a mesh net, in line with strict conditions, to supply a feed of fresh fish to others such as the Aboriginal Elders in the local community," a DPI spokesperson said.
Katungal Koori connections officer Wally Stewart said the decision was "groundbreaking".
"Right around the Wagonga Inlet you can see sites where our people have been occupying it - for us to be able to fish and feed our community, we are overwhelmed," he said.
It is rewarding and takes a fair amount of exercise, creating healthy lifestyles
- Wally Stewart
The group will put their handmade nets to the test and take to the water in a boat they were taught how to build at Mal's Slipway and Boat Repairs, Narooma.
"We are aiming to set the net in the Wagonga Inlet next week," Mr Stewart said.
The DPI said fishers must pre-report their activities.
"Permit conditions for the use of the mesh net are the same as those applied to commercial fishers under the Fisheries Management (Estuary General Share Management Plan) Regulation 2006 including setting conditions and net dimensions," a DPI spokesperson said.
The permit allowed a certain six members of the group to fish using a mesh net within the Wagonga Inlet and Mummuga Lake once a week. The catch limit was four boxes of mixed finfish (mullet, bream, leather jacket, flat head, etc).
Mr Stewart said each catch would be distributed to the Indigenous community of Kianga, Dalmeny, Narooma and Bodalla.
Mr Stewart went through processes to acquire the permit to avoid "backlash from the wider community".
"We could fish without a permit under section 2.11 of the Commonwealth Native Title Act, but chose to gain a permit and work with fisheries to build a relationship and break down break some of the barriers," he said.
He said seafood was too costly for many who "live below the poverty line and are unemployed battling from one week to the next", and a feed of fish was one way to give back to elders.
"A case study from 2016 highlighted the impact government regulations of fishing rights had on our community," Mr Stewart said.
"It identified our people are low in iodine and protein which is what you get from fish.
"If you take away our culture, it has a massive impact on our health."
The DPI spokesperson said the Fisheries Management Act 1994: "recognises the spiritual, social and customary significance of fisheries resources to Aboriginal people and looks to protect and promote the continuation of Aboriginal cultural fishing."
Mr Stewart said the cultural fishing program has revived practices thousands of years old.
"The knowledge is being passed down to younger generations," Mr Stewart said.
It is tradition for people of the Yuin community to row a boat out to catch the fish
- Newton Carriage
"We have some of the oldest practices in the world."
Mr Stewart said many lean on their culture through hard times.
"It is rewarding and takes a fair amount of exercise, creating healthy lifestyles," he said.
The program had also begun with a Bingie/Moruya men's group. Group mentor Newton Carriage said net making was keeping youth off the streets.
"It is tradition for people of the Yuin community to row a boat out to catch the fish," he said.
"Back in the old days the only work you could get around here was at the sawmills, seasonal work or fishing.
"Our fathers were fisherman, so we just fished.
He said net making was "like therapy".
"Young fellas were coming down and hanging nets, talking about their problems and were going home feeling better and proud of what they learnt," Mr Carriage said.
"It has lifted the community."
The program was developed by Katungul Aboriginal Corporation Regional Health and Community Services and the Bermagui/Wallaga Lake Djiringanj Mens Group Aboriginal Corporation.
Mr Stewart said the program was likely to expand further north, with Indigenous communities of Nowra and Forster showing interest.