Indigenous communities across Australia have been custodians of country for over 60,000 years. In recognising the significance Indigenous knowledge has towards sustainable and holistic management of sea country, there has been a shift towards equitable inclusion for Indigenous People in national marine and coastal management and governance. For this to occur Indigenous knowledge must be recognised for its own rigour systems through lived experiences and adaptation to change. Misunderstandings remain in Western Science around what constitutes valid scientific practice which can lead to detrimental exclusion of Indigenous science and knowledge in sectors it should be embraced. Understanding the different, yet legitimate principles, assumptions, and interpretations from an alternate worldview.
This presentation is an outline from the authors of the marine chapter of Australia’s 2021 State of the Environment report, of how Indigenous science and knowledge was incorporated in the report for the first time. We highlight the important progress made and contemplate successfully respecting multiple knowledge systems through representing both Indigenous knowledge and Western Science to inform national reporting on the marine environment.