Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2025L00071:body:0:p7
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2025L00071
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 20628–23457

on Home Island and maintains strong cultural traditions and connections to the surrounding marine environment. For Cocos Malay people, the southern atoll lagoon, with its variety of accessible habitats and species, fringing ocean waters and the passage to North Keeling Island, are key to this connection. These are places to catch food and share the company of family and friends. They are places that have strong stories attached to them and where traditional activities can continue and be passed on to future generations. Many families have pondoks (rustic shacks) on the unpopulated islands of Cocos  these pondoks provide connection and access to the marine environment for many islanders.

On the other side of the lagoon is West Island, which is home to a predominantly non-Cocos Malay population of government service workers, businesses and tourism enterprises. For many West Islanders, the sea is also an important part of life. The idyllic waters of the lagoon are the basis of most tourism ventures on the island and a place for residents and visitors alike to relax and spend time with friends and family while fishing, snorkelling, diving, surfing, canoeing or kitesurfing. The marine environment links the entire Cocos community and is a critical connection to the rest of the world in terms of receiving the supplies that it needs.

Fishing may be the most common and strongest link of all between Cocos Islanders and the marine environment  it is a pursuit shared across communities, cultures and generations. Someone is always fishing at Cocos. Depending on the weather and the day of the week, you might see small boats heading into the lagoon from Home Island for a catch of bodas (silveries) or belenak (mullet); West Islanders trolling for tuna and other pelagics on the ocean side of the islands; children trying their luck from the beach, rocks or seawalls; visiting groups wading into the shallows of the southern lagoon for the sport of catching and releasing a bandang (bonefish) on a fly rod; Home Islanders collecting gong gong (spider conch) in preparation for a wedding or other occasion; and others keen for adventure heading north of the lagoon into the deep waters between the southern atoll and North Keeling Island.

As the marine environment is important to the local community for many reasons, community engagement in the process to co-design and establish Cocos (Keeling) Islands Marine Park was extensive, with many local people and organisations making strong and constructive contributions. The process to prepare the Cocos (Keeling) Islands Marine Park management plan continued this engagement and collaboration, with goals to protect the environment while supporting local community views and aspirations.

    2.3           Values of Cocos (Keeling) Islands Marine Park
In simple