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Project 1.3.4 - Communication, community engagement and enhanced delivery

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  Sea Turtle and Dugong Awareness Program for Western Province, Papua New Guinea - Development Workshop, Daru, 10 June 2010

(19 July 2010) A Sea Turtle and Dugong Awareness Program Development Workshop, held in Daru, Papua New Guinea (PNG) on 10 June, brought together some 35 participants, including representatives from the thirteen PNG Treaty villages in Western Province.  Facilitated by the Sea Turtle Foundation, with support from the MTSRF Project 1.3.4, the workshop was also attended by representatives of the PNG Department of Environment and Conservation, the PNG Fisheries Department, the PNG Treaty Chairman and the PNG Border Liaison Officer.

Key objectives of the workshop included a review of the Guiding Framework that resulted from the Daru Turtle and Dugong Workshop held in February 2009, as well as an introduction of the Sea Turtle and Dugong Awareness Program for Western Province, PNG, and the chance to seek feedback from workshop participants on content and delivery options for the Awareness Program.

Daru workshop participants (Photo courtesy of David Roe) 

Australian representatives came from the Sea Turtle Foundation, the MTSRF, the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA), and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).  The Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA) were unable to attend due to a major workshop to further develop Dugong and Turtle Management Plans in the region.

The Daru workshop gave participants the opportunity to develop components of the Sea Turtle and Dugong Awareness Program that the Sea Turtle Foundation will deliver in the thirteen Treaty communities and in Daru.

More information about the workshop is available at the Sea Turtle Foundation Daru workshop webpage.

MTSRF Project 1.3.4 Overview

Project Leader and Host Organisation

Mr Vic McGrath, Torres Strait Regional Authority

Project Description and Objectives

For detailed descriptions of the outputs for this project for Year 4 (2009/2010) of the MTSRF Research Programme, see the Annual Research Plan.

Undertaking research in the Torres Strait requires that researchers understand and respect the culture and communication protocols of the Torres Strait region. Throughout the life of the CRC Torres Strait program, a system for researcher engagement had been developed and used, and the resulting protocols formed the basis for the communication and engagement of the current MTSRF science projects conducted in Program 3 (Torres Strait) and in Program 4 (Species  of Conservation Concern).  It is anticipated that, due to recent Queensland Government reforms affecting local governance, these protocols will need some adjustment throughout 2008 that reflect the new changes.  

This project in part, involves the recruitment of a Community Liaison Officer which is co-funded by MTSRF and the TSRA, and based at the TSRA offices on Thursday Island.  The Community Liaison Officer is required to work with the Manager of the Land and Sea Management Unit, TSRA in achieving contractual milestones and reporting requirements for MTSRF projects.  Importantly the Liaison Officer's involvement and support for MTSRF research projects in the region will continue to ensure appropriate communication with Torres Strait Island communities and also to maintain partnerships and knowledge transfer with supporting agencies in the region.

Science delivery system:  It is important that the results of research be made accessible to users. This is sometimes to be done in specialised, tailored ways as indicated above and covered by our budget for communications and engagement. However, it is increasingly desirable also to make information available using web-based delivery and similar tools. Such a system is also to be developed through MTSRF Theme 5.

This year Project 1.3.4 aims to:

  • Facilitate information dissemination program on research activities in Torres Strait through newsletter articles, visits to communities and meetings where appropriate; and

  • Report to the MTSRF on communication activities.

Further Information

Ms Mellissa Jess
Torres Strait Program Research Manager
Reef and Rainforest Research Centre Limited
Tel: (07) 4050 7400


Major Project Outputs

The Annual Research Plans, or ARPs, outline the specific tasks, products, budgets and staff for each research project within each of the Research Themes and Programs of the MTSRF.  The ARPs also outline the key deliverables, or 'project milestones' (e.g. major reports, journal articles, communications products) to be achieved.

An ARP is developed for each operating year of the MTSRF (2006-2010).

Details of this and previous years' outputs from this project are included in each of the Annual Research Plans

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