Marine protected areas (MPAs) are critical for managing marine spaces, addressing ecological, economic, cultural and social values with varying compatibility (Marcos et al., 2021). This research focuses on Yawuru Saltwater Country, the coastal and nearshore waters surrounding Broome in northwest Australia. This area encompasses the co-managed Yawuru Nagulagun/ Roebuck Bay Marine Park (YNRBMP), the Broome Port, tourism operations, and various recreational and commercial uses. As part of a broader project, Yagarrajalajalan nagula buru: We all care for Saltwater Country, this project employs two-way science to investigate how humans use and value this Saltwater Country.
By refocusing the social science lens to incorporate an Indigenous world view, methods of semi-structured interviews and participatory mapping, co-designed with Yawuru project members were used. Spatial and non-spatial analysis, including Chi-square statistics, explore the spatial-temporal distribution and diversity of users, activities, and values. This research provides detailed insight into the similarities and differences within and between the users of the study area and explores conflict potential.
Locally, outcomes include contributing to Yawuru management objectives of the co-managed YNRBMP. More broadly, this research demonstrates the value of the Indigenous world view and the importance of co-designed research for generating relevant information for Indigenous protected area managers.