After nine years in court, Australia’s Torres Strait Islanders won the rights to 154,000 square miles of land and ocean, according to Australian Associated Press.
The settlement announced Friday, encompasses more than 250 islands from Cape York to Papua New Guinea in Northern Australia, according to The Guardian.
The attorney representing the Islanders, Robert Blowes, said that the amount of ocean given over to the islanders made the settlement unique.
“There are some native title claims over sea areas but they mostly cover areas just offshore and in and around islands whereas this is a large expanse of sea,” he said in the AAP report.
The settlement recognizes the islanders’ spiritual ties to the ocean, but will allow other activities, such as shipping and commercial fishing to continue. Development of the area will happen only after consultation with the islanders, according to the Guardian.
The settlement announced Friday, encompasses more than 250 islands from Cape York to Papua New Guinea in Northern Australia, according to The Guardian.
The attorney representing the Islanders, Robert Blowes, said that the amount of ocean given over to the islanders made the settlement unique.
“There are some native title claims over sea areas but they mostly cover areas just offshore and in and around islands whereas this is a large expanse of sea,” he said in the AAP report.
The settlement recognizes the islanders’ spiritual ties to the ocean, but will allow other activities, such as shipping and commercial fishing to continue. Development of the area will happen only after consultation with the islanders, according to the Guardian.
