Bendigo Community Health Services has partnered with the Victorian Fisheries Authority to foster safe and sustainable fishing practices for newly-arrived Karen people.
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The 12-month pilot program will help Karen people understand Victoria’s fishing regulations and raise awareness amongst Fisheries staff about the pre-and-post arrival experiences of former refugees from the Thai-Burma border.
BCHS Refugee Project Worker Nido said fishing was an important cultural practice for Karen people, who traditionally fished for survival rather than recreation.
“In Australia, we have rules around fishing, so Karen people need to know about these rules, such as the need for a fishing licence, the type of fish that can be caught and in which season, plus the sizes and bag limits that can be kept,” Nido said.
“As new arrivals, Karen people may unintentionally do the wrong things, therefore it’s important to educate the community about these rules.”
BCHS is now developing co-designed, culturally safe resources and videos about fishing, in the Karen language.
The project will include in-person education sessions, the training of 20 ‘champions’ to share their learnings with family and friends, and the production of a responsible fishing welcome pack for new arrivals.
“The resources and information sessions will cover topics such as how to apply for a fishing licence, equipment use, water safety and respectful use of waterways,” Nido said.
VFA Supervising Fisheries Officer Natashar Wills said fishing was important to many communities globally and it was wonderful to see new arrivals continue to fish when they settled in Victoria.
“Not only does it allow people an opportunity to enjoy fish for dinner, but it is important for mental health and social inclusion,” she said.
“Many people settle in Victoria from countries that have no rules around fishing. By working with community leaders, the VFA can ensure anglers get the right information in culturally sensitive ways.”
Natashar said the VFA had been working with Karen people for about 10 years ago.
“Over that time, we have partnered with many agencies across the state to build successful programs tailored to this cultural group,” she said.
“Our work with Bendigo Community Health Services has been pivotal in identifying information gaps, especially in the Karen community, and building on existing information to enhance the overall program.
“I would like to see this program extended beyond Bendigo so everyone can benefit from this amazing work.”
BCHS is a not-for-profit service that provides over 50 programs to build better health and wellbeing across generations. The Settlement Services program provides optimal opportunities for new Humanitarian arrivals, and builds the region’s capacity to provide safe, healthy settlement experiences.
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