Aboriginal harvest of the northern long-necked turtle -- modelling population dynamics in support of a sustainable industry

The Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation wishes to establish employment opportunities that both strengthen traditional Aboriginal values and lead to economic self-sufficiency. We will use esperimental approaches to model the demographic impact of Aboriginal harvest on hte population dynamis of the northern long-necked turtle. The project will break new groung in studying density-dependent responses to harvest in a long-lived turtle species. The project will also assist the Aboriginal rural community to decide the level of adult and egg harvest in support of alocal industry to ensure that it is both ecologically and economically sustainable.