This project on Crown-Of-Thorns Starfish management is dedicated to building genuine partnerships with Reef Traditional Owners to strengthen collaborative reef stewardship. As rights holders with enduring connections to Sea Country, Traditional Owners are key decision-making partners in the management of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). Through co-design, this project aims to develop decision-support tools that centre Indigenous knowledge and priorities in reef care.

This project uses a values mapping approach to create Sea Country maps that will provide a cultural lens and layer to COTS management in the GBR. COTS outbreaks are a major driver of coral decline on the GBR, requiring targeted monitoring and manual removal to mitigate their impact. These maps aim to weave together Indigenous knowledge and scientific research, aspiring to contribute to adaptive management strategies.

During this presentation, I will talk about the journey of building trust and a partnership with Dabu Jajikal people, a Reef Traditional Owner community in North Queensland and share our theoretical approach and methods to co-designing culturally appropriate decision-support tools guided by Dabu Jajikal people’s needs and priorities. Through a partnership anchored in respect and reciprocity, this research aims to strengthen community-led reef stewardship to foster more equitable marine governance.