Grants to protect Australia's newest marine parks

Seventeen projects to support the Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands marine parks have been supported by a $3 million investment from the Albanese Labor Government.

The marine parks around Christmas and Cocos (Keeling) Islands protect 744,070 square kilometres of unique and internationally significant marine habitats and species.

The newly funded grants projects include:

• Supporting the Christmas Island community to protect the iconic red crabs during their annual breeding migration
• Monitoring and removing marine debris to help conserve the values of the marine parks
• Restoring seagrass habitats to provide an ecosystem nursery for fish and other species
• Surveying resident foraging sea turtles, their habitats, diet and movements, with a focus on the endangered green turtle
• Researching and monitoring coral reef health and diversity, including comparing them with the diversity of reef species from other locations.

The newly funded projects commence in 2023 and finish by mid-2025.

A full list of successful projects is available at: Indian Ocean Territories Marine Parks | Australian Marine Parks (parksaustralia.gov.au)

Quotes attributable to Minister for the Environment and Water, the Hon Tanya Plibersek MP:

“Coral reefs, seagrass, seamounts, deep sea plains and ridges, oceanic waters and species found nowhere else on earth make up the Indian Ocean Territory marine parks, which combined are twice the size of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

“The projects will help us do important work like protecting endangered green turtles, supporting the incredible red crab migration on Christmas Island and restoring vital sea grass ecosystems.

“We look forward to continuing to work with local communities to help manage the Indian Ocean Territories marine parks.”