Marine megafauna including whales, dolphins, sharks, and marine turtles are ecological engineers, cultural kin, and economic drivers through wildlife tourism. Yet prevailing marine management frameworks continue to privilege technocratic and extractive paradigms, often marginalising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander governance systems and relational knowledge. This paper advances a transformative approach to marine megafauna conservation grounded in relational governance, where ecological science, Indigenous law, and community stewardship operate as co-equal systems of authority.
Drawing on case studies from the Unbroken Whispers, within coastal Communities on the East Coast of Australia, alongside global examples of Indigenous marine governance, this research examines how cultural connections to Sea Country inform sustainable management of migratory species and critical habitats. Evidence from East Coastal communities demonstrates that cultural protocols such as seasonal knowledge, kinship obligations, and respect-based harvesting support both biodiversity outcomes and ethical wildlife tourism practices. These findings align with established principles of common-pool resource management (Ostrom, 1990) while extending them through relational ontologies that recognise marine species as active participants in governance systems.
The paper identifies key opportunities for advancing marine megafauna conservation, including Indigenous co-governance frameworks, integration of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) with scientific monitoring (e.g., acoustic ecology), and the reframing of “blue corridors” as cultural songlines that connect migratory species across jurisdictions. At the same time, it critically examines persistent barriers, including colonial policy legacies, fragmented governance structures, and the instrumentalisation of Indigenous knowledge as data rather than law.
By positioning marine megafauna as central to ecological, cultural, and economic systems, this research proposes a shift from conservation as control to conservation as relationship “not conservation, but conversation.” It argues that the future of marine megafauna depends on governance models that restore Indigenous authority, embed relational ethics, and recognise the interconnected roles of humans and Sea-Kin in sustaining ocean health. Such approaches are essential for delivering equitable, effective, and culturally grounded outcomes for marine conservation and wildlife tourism in Australia and beyond.
References:
Ostrom, E. (1990). Governing the commons: The evolution of institutions for collective action. Cambridge University Press.