Applications open: Traditional Inhabitant members of PZJA advisory committees
Apply now to be a Traditional Inhabitant member of a Protected Zone Joint Authority (PZJA) advisory committee.
The PZJA is seeking 5 Traditional Inhabitant members to join each of the following advisory committees for 3 years, starting from 1 July 2025.
- Tropical Rock Lobster Working Group
- Finfish Working Group
- Hand Collectables Working Group
- Tropical Rock Lobster Resource Assessment Group
- Finfish Resource Assessment Group
- Hand Collectables Resource Assessment Group
- Torres Strait Prawn Management Advisory Committee
- Torres Strait Scientific Advisory Committee
Traditional Inhabitant members are appointed based on their experience, expertise, participation and engagement in the Torres Strait fishing industry, and from each cluster nation: Gudumalulgal, Kaiwalagal, Kulkalgal, Kemer Kemer Meriam, and Maluialgal.
The PZJA committees advise the authority to support its decisions about the management of Torres Strait fisheries. They generally have an independent Chair and members from the Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA), the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) and Queensland Fisheries. They also include scientific and economic members, and non-Traditional Inhabitant members from the fishing industry in some cases.
The role of Traditional Inhabitant members is to:
- contribute their knowledge and experience of fisheries and communities to the PZJA advisory committees
- contribute their fisheries expertise to achieve the best management and in the best interests of the fishery
- regularly report to and liaise with other Traditional Inhabitants in the community on PZJA consultative forum activities, including the issues being dealt with and the possible solutions being considered
- seek the views of community members through local associations and meetings, as necessary.
The responsibilities of Traditional Inhabitant members are to:
- put views clearly and concisely and be prepared to negotiate to achieve acceptable outcomes and compromises where necessary
- act in the best interests of the fisheries as a whole, rather than as an advocate for any particular organisation, interest group or regional concern
- be prepared to observe confidentiality and exercise tact and discretion when dealing with sensitive issues
- contribute to discussion in an objective and impartial manner and avoid pursuing personal agendas or self-interest
- be prepared to make the necessary commitment of time to ensure they are fully across matters which are the subject of consideration by the committee
- have the community’s confidence and authority to undertake their functions as a member.
See PZJA Committees for more information about the committees, including records from past meetings.
Applications close on 1 May 2025.
Apply by email to either AFMA or the TSRA
- Email fisheriesti@afma.gov.au to send your application to AFMA.
- Email fisheries@tsra.gov.au to send your application to the TSRA.