In 2019, the people of Baniyala engaged the
CSIRO to investigate industries which could help boost the local economy, including the potential for
aquaculture (in particular
sea cucumbers), mining, forestry,
eco-tourism, and chartered fishing expeditions. In July 2019,
Northern Land Council entered into an agreement with the NT Government for rights over access to the waters for
commercial and
recreational fishing, before consulting the appropriate traditional owners. After community leader
Djambawa Marawili raised the matter, a meeting was held with the NLC, and on the 11th anniversary of the High Court's Blue Mud Bay decision, traditional owners signed an agreement to allow fishing access to these waters for the following 18 months. In July 2020, the Northern Land Council and the NT Government signed the "Blue Mud Bay Action Plan", by which both are committed to securing fishing rights for the region's Indigenous people. This plan is part of the Nitmiluk Agreement (signed in 2019), which aims at building economic opportunities for Aboriginal people in the
fishing industry, including establishing an Aboriginal-owned fishing enterprise. The
COVID-19 pandemic in Australia has had significant impact on this remote community, including loss of
tourism income and shortages of goods and groceries, leading to health risks, but a five-year strategic plan has been established to help BGAC to overcome these challenges. ==Notable people==