Indigenous fishing and forestry grants

The Indigenous Fishing and Forestry Grants Program supports projects to increase economic opportunities for First Nations peoples, particularly on their own sea and land country.

There are 2 grants available:

• Cape York Economic Pathways Grant
• Queensland Indigenous Business Grant.

The grant guidelines (PDF, 290KB) detail the application process and criteria.

• Economic growth

  Balkanu Cape York Development Corporation Pty Ltd

  Deliver a workshop in Cairns to bring leading farmers, experts and key Indigenous stakeholders to identify opportunities for a black lipped oyster industry on Cape York. Give communities tools to identify potential production sites and an ability to assess economic potential and network with major industry players.

  Balkanu Cape York Development Corporation Pty Ltd

  Build commercial bee industry resilience by developing the capacity of Traditional Owners to work with and assess the commercial production outputs of both the European honeybee and 2 species of native stingless bees in the Hopevale area.

  Individual applicant

  Expand into oyster farming and production to meet industry demand and current clients — scale up to process and distribute larger quantities of product, and increase national and international markets.

• First Nations investment principles

  Hope Vale Foundation

  • Establish an aquaponics pilot to generate First Nations food in herbs, spices and garnishes.
  • Germinate and propagate timber, food and medicine trees.
  • Investigate growth and management of aquaculture species to consider the suitability of larger aquaculture operations.

  Individual applicant

  Purchase an asset to eliminate manual handling of produce, which will:

  • enable safer work and delivery of better quality produce to market
  • ensure continuous improvement and intergenerational viability of commercial fishing operations
  • provide employment to the younger generation
  • teach skills, knowledge and traditional laws pertaining to sustainable fishing, which benefits our whole community's physical and mental health.

  Individual applicant

  Growing oysters in Moreton Bay, catching spat on oyster leases and growing and selling oysters — expand production, start employing local and Indigenous people, and use more efficient/safer equipment.

• Responsible and sustainable fishing practices and education

  Individual applicant

  Establish a small fish supply co-op to supply fresh, local, sustainably-caught fish to local fish suppliers, businesses and the public, including setting up a small mobile food trailer to supply fresh-caught fish and smoked fish to the public, functions and cultural awareness programs/events.

  Southwest Indigenous Corporation

  Showcase best practice in sustainable fishing and harvesting techniques for eel tailed catfish — a staple food source for local Indigenous peoples along inland river systems in the Murray-Darling Basin — through:

  • stepped training modules
  • 'Fish Tales Friday' (providing locally grown catfish to the community to bring people together and share their best bush-tucker recipes)
  • publishing a user-friendly cookbook to promote the species as a dining delight.

• Economic growth

  • Contribute to regional economic growth and jobs through increasing domestic and international exports of fishery and forestry products and service marketing.
  • Open up new markets and improve access to existing markets.
  • Increase stability and viability of existing and new supply chains.

• Responsible and sustainable fishing and forestry practices and education

  Fishing practices

  • Promote responsible fishing practices.
  • Develop and implement codes of practice (CoP) with the inclusion of Traditional Owners and First Nations communities.
  • Develop and implement best management practices within First Nations commercial fishing and seafood supply chain.
  • Develop training programs or videos for First Nations peoples and communities to get involved in commercial fishing and seafood supply chain.

  Forestry

  • Promote, develop and implement responsible forestry practices with the inclusion of Traditional Owners and First Nations communities.
  • Implement sustainable plantation and native forestry management practices with First Nations foresters and industry supply chain members.
  • Develop programs to educate and uplift training and skills in forestry practices.

• Promotional campaigns

  • Promote First Nations fishing, seafood supply chain and forestry businesses.
  • Promote inclusion of these businesses in Queensland's sustainable seafood and timber industry.
  • First Nations commercial fisher mental wellbeing.

• First Nations investment principles

  Project contributes to:

  • closing the gap targets or social determinants of First Nations health
  • preserving, protecting and promoting First Nations cultural intellectual property
  • intergenerational, rural or remote economic development.