Dugongs and sea turtles are facing a serious threat against illegal meat trade activities in Queensland, ABC's 7.30 reports.

The program reveals a black market in animal meat, with activist Rupert Imhoff filming the hunting of the turtles and dugongs, which are both listed as vulnerable to extinction.

Mr Imhoff spent a fortnight in the Torres Strait, using a secret camera to film scenes of animal cruelty. He filmed the brutal methods used to hunt the protected marine life, with turtles being butchered alive and dugongs drowned by dragging them behind boats.

"It didn't actually die until they took off the bottom shell, actually peeled off the shell... And then it just let out one last gasp of air and passed away," Mr Imhoff narrates.

Both dugongs and turtles are protected by federal law, but the Native Title Act gives an exemption to traditional owners, who can hunt to satisfy their personal, domestic or non-commercial communal needs, ABC reported.

For its part, Queensland exempts native title hunting from its animal cruelty laws.

ABC spoke to lawyer and advocate Rebecca Smith, who points out conservation groups avoid criticising Indigenous hunting.

"It's just too hard, too prickly, too sensitive," she said, adding, "It's often deemed people who are opposed to traditional hunting are often called racist, but there is nothing racist about saying this is cruel."

But the cruel Queensland slaughter is not within the bounds of traditional hunting.

Reacting to the revealing footage, national Indigenous radio broadcaster Seith Fourmile said, "We're working with the RSPCA to actually look at that cruelty to animals."

In the Torres Strait, 7.30 reports Horn Island appears to be a transport hub for the illegal trade, as it reveals multiple eskies arriving on the afternoon flight from Horn Island to Cairns.

All the Indigenous people interviewed by 7.30 recognised the illegal trade and are committed to ending it.

In reaction to 7.30's expose, Queensland's Department of Environment and Resource Management issued a statement saying it "takes the (cruelty) claims very seriously and will investigate all reports of illegal hunting and poaching."