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Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Cocos (Keeling) Islands Marine Park Management Plan) Instrument 2025

I, Tanya Plibersek, Minister for the Environment and Water, approve, under subparagraph 370(3)(b)(i) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, this instrument, that is a legislative instrument made by me on the day of this approval under subsection 371(1) of that Act.

Dated  17  January 2025

Tanya Plibersek
Minister for the Environment

How to cite this document
Director of National Parks, Cocos (Keeling) Islands Marine Park Management Plan 2025

Director of National Parks Australian business number: 13 051 694 963
This plan is available online via parksaustralia.gov.au/marine.
This document is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International licence, with the exception of the Coat of Arms of the Commonwealth of Australia, government agency logos, content supplied by third parties and all images.

For licence conditions see: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0

ISBN: 978-0-646-89797-4

Cover photo: Hermit crab (Vikki Lauritsen)

Contents
Vision__________________________________________________________________________6
Objectives______________________________________________________________________7
Foreword_______________________________________________________________________7
Acknowledgements_______________________________________________________________8
1.0 Introduction_______________________________________________________________9
1.1 Introductory provisions_______________________________________________________10
1.2 Management plan overview___________________________________________________10
1.3 Australian marine parks______________________________________________________11
1.4 Context for management_____________________________________________________11
2.0 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Marine Park___________________________________________12
2.1 About Cocos (Keeling) Islands Marine Park________________________________________12
2.2 People and community_______________________________________________________17
2.3 Values of Cocos (Keeling) Islands Marine Park_____________________________________18
2.3.1 Natural values.........................................................19
2.3.2 Cultural values.........................................................25
2.3.3 Social and economic values...............................................29
2.4 Pressures and drivers in Cocos (Keeling) Islands Marine Park__________________________30
2.4.1 Climate and environmental change..........................................31
2.4.2 Marine debris and other pollution...........................................32
2.4.3 Water quality..........................................................33
2.4.4 Marine invasive species and disease.........................................33
2.4.5 Coastal development and infrastructure.......................................33
2.4.6 Fishing pressure.......................................................34
2.4.7 Recreational and tourism activities..........................................34
2.5 Pulu Keeling National Park____________________________________________________34
2.6 Management of values, pressures and drivers______________________________________35
3.0 Management programs and actions____________________________________________37
3.1 Management programs, goals, desired outcomes and actions.......................37
3.2 Monitoring, evaluation and reporting.........................................40
3.3 Community advisory committee............................................40
4.0 Management of activities____________________________________________________42
4.1 Zone categories, names and objectives___________________________________________43
4.2 Outline of activity management_________________________________________________43
4.3 Prescriptions for activities_____________________________________________________44
4.3.1 General use and access..................................................46
4.3.2 Commercial shipping....................................................47
4.3.3 Commercial fishing.....................................................48
4.3.4 Commercial aquaculture..................................................49
4.3.5 Commercial media......................................................49
4.3.6 Commercial tourism.....................................................50
4.3.7 Recreational fishing.....................................................50
4.3.8 Mining...............................................................51
4.3.9 Structures and works....................................................51
4.3.10 Research, monitoring and restoration........................................52
4.3.11 National security and emergency response....................................53
4.3.12 Waste management.....................................................53
4.3.13 Non-commercial remotely piloted aircraft (drones)...............................54
4.3.14 Red-footed booby (sula sula) harvest (Pengambilan burung  maen‑maen).......55
4.3.15 Activities governed by the EPBC Regulations..................................55
4.3.16 New activities and authorisations...........................................56
4.4 Making decisions about activities_______________________________________________57
4.4.1 Decision making.......................................................57
4.4.2 Assessment under other processes..........................................57
4.4.3 Review of decisions.....................................................57
4.5 Authorisation of allowable activities______________________________________________58
4.5.1 Permits..............................................................58
4.5.2 Class approvals........................................................59
4.5.3 Activity licences and leases...............................................60
Schedule 1 International agreements______________________________________________62
Schedule 2 References and maps________________________________________________64
Select references_______________________________________________________________64
Maps________________________________________________________________________66
Glossary______________________________________________________________________71

Vision

The vision statement was developed with input from a range of Cocos (Keeling) Island community members and is designed to reflect the island community's aspirations for