The gathering was unanimous in its message for the NSW Government: Enact amendment 21AA now and stop prosecuting Aboriginal fishers for carrying out the practises of their ancestors.

The 21AA amendment to the Fisheries Management Act recognising cultural fishing provisions and was passed in 2010 but is yet to commence.

The two-day Bingie event, put on by the Aboriginal Fishing Rights Group, featured a range of informative speakers, discussions, workshops and performances.

The gathering recommended education of government staff on Aboriginal cultural values, exemptions and exclusive access for Aboriginal commercial fishers and more education of community members of their rights under the Native Title Act and NSW Fisheries Act.

The group’s recommendations were expected to be presented to NSW Parliament on Tuesday night by Greens MLC, and spokeswoman for Aboriginal affairs, Jan Barham, who attended and presented at the event.

Also on the agenda were Southern Cross University representatives, who gave an overview of national and international fishing rights, and Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies senior research fellow, Dr Rod Kennett, who spoke about his research.

Sydney-based Aboriginal barrister Tony McAvoy and partner Kathryn Ridge spoke about the law, fishing rights and native title and workshops on Sunday examined the impact of Department of Primary Industries on cultural fishing on the South Coast.

Organiser Wally Stewart, who is based in Narooma, said he came away from the event feeling rewarded and excited.

“It was probably one of the biggest gatherings we’ve had done here for fishing and the point about this one, is we got tangible outcomes,” Mr Stewart said.

“People were united- there was no division - because it was about every blackfella that fishes.”

Mr Stewart said the Aboriginal Cultural Fishing Rights Group planned to ramp up its campaign based on several resolutions passed on Sunday.

Group member and event MC Danny Chapman said the idea for the rally was to bring people together on the issue and gauge wider support for returning cultural fishing rights.

 “(We wanted to) let them have their say and they certainly had their say over the two days,” Mr Chapman said.

“We were inspired by people’s support and the concern they have about not being able to fish without threat of being prosecuted.

“They wanted something done about that. I think that was the overarching message that we got from it, they wanted access.”

Mr Chapman, who chairs the Aboriginal Fishing Advisory Council, said the rally gave him a better understanding of what the community wanted, which he would use in his representations to government.

“I can be much clearer to government about what it is that we need to do and drive,” he said.

“We’re fully supportive of our Aboriginal commercial fishermen and we are refusing to let the government force them out of the industry during this structural adjustment period that they’re going through.

“We want government to recognise that Aboriginal cultural fishing is a part of the professional fishing (industry) and we’re drawing a line in the sand and refusing to take a backward step from where we are.”