CREDIT: Rob Hughes CREDIT: Australian Marine Parks in the Indian Ocean Territories Proposal for the establishment of marine parks in Australia’s Indian Ocean Territories (Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands) SUMMARY AND MAPS - CHRISTMAS ISLAND MARINE PARK DRAFT - JULY 2021 Australian Marine Parks North Network Coral Sea North-west Marine Park Network Norfolk Island Temperate East Network South-west Network South-east Network Macquairie Island parksaustralia.gov.au/marine Have your say Comments will be considered in preparing the Proposal for the establishment of marine parks This document is a summary of the consultation in Australia’s Indian Ocean Territories (Christmas draft of the Proposal for the establishment Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands) for formal of marine parks in Australia’s Indian Ocean public consultation of at least 60 days, as Territories (IOT) (Christmas Island and Cocos required under the Environment Protection and (Keeling) Islands). In particular, it provides maps Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act. of the design (location, area and zoning) of the proposed Christmas Island Marine Park. Australian Marine Parks We welcome your comments on this summary, The Australian Government has established a or on the draft proposal. A full version can be network of 58 Australian Marine Parks in the found at https://parksaustralia.gov.au/marine/ Commonwealth marine area, in addition to the pub/draft-iot-proposal-2021.pdf Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and the Heard Email your comments to Island and McDonald Islands Marine Reserve. [email protected] Marine parks protect seafloor environments like Alternatively, comments can be mailed to: reefs; seagrass; seamounts; and canyons, and IOT Marine Parks Draft Proposal they can also support fishing and other marine Parks Australia activities such as tourism, and diving. Marine and Island Parks Branch 203 Channel Highway Kingston TAS 7050 Comments should be emailed or postmarked by 13 August 2021. Christmas Island Marine Park (b) Yellow zones – Habitat Protection Zone Managed to allow activities that do not harm Objectives and zoning or cause destruction to seafloor habitats The objectives of the proposed Christmas Island (e.g. reefs and seamounts), while conserving Marine Park are to: ecosystems, habitats and native species in as natural a state as possible. (a) Provide for the protection and conservation of biodiversity and other Activities like wildlife watching, diving, natural, cultural and heritage values snorkelling, research and recreational/ subsistence fishing can occur, and (b) Minimise or avoid social and economic commercial fishing may also be permitted (in impacts on local communities and other Habitat Protection Zones). users of these waters. Mining is not allowed. To achieve these objectives, two types of zones are proposed: (a) Green zones – National Park Zone Managed to protect and conserve ecosystems, habitats and native species in as natural a state as possible. This zone only allows non-extractive activities, such as wildlife watching, diving, snorkelling and research. Fishing and mining are not allowed. GREEN ZONES protect important locations like breeding and feeding areas. Here you can watch wildlife, snorkel, dive, and do research. YELLOW ZONES protect sea floor habitats like reefs and seamounts. Watch wildlife, snorkel, dive, do research, and fish, but don’t disturb the seafloor. Table 1 - Overview of proposed zoning scheme for the Christmas Island Marine Park Habitat Protection (IOT) Zone National Park Zone Activity (IUCN Category IV) (IUCN Category II) Recreational and subsistence ✓ A X fishing (including anchoring) General use, access and ✓ ✓ waste management Commercial shipping ✓ B ✓ B Commercial fishing ✓ C X B Aquaculture ✓ C X B Commercial media ✓ C ✓ C Commercial tourism (e.g. ✓ C ✓ C dive/snorkel tours) Mining X X Structures and works ✓ C ✓ C Research and monitoring ✓ C ✓ C National Security and ✓ ✓ emergency response ✓ Activity is allowed in accordance with the prescriptions of the management plan without the need of a permit, class approval or activity licence or lease issued by the Director of National Parks. The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) also applies with respect to ship generated pollution from ships (i.e. waste management). X Activity is not allowed A Recreational fishing is to be in accordance with local fishing rules, if applicable B Anchoring is not allowed except in anchoring areas determined under r.12.56 of the EPBC Regulations C Activity is allowed, subject to assessment, in accordance with a permit, class approval or activity licence or lease issued by the Director of National Parks. Marine Park design boundary of Christmas Island National Park The proposed Christmas Island marine park (CINP), which extends 50 metres seaward from comprises a total area of 277,016 square CINP’s low water mark. Elsewhere, the marine kilometres and extends from the island’s park boundary also adjoins CINP waters. In shoreline to the limit of Australia’s Exclusive marine areas of the island that are not part of Economic Zone (AEEZ), approximately 200 CINP (but which are included in the marine nautical miles from shore. The marine park park), the marine park extends to the island’s has two zones, corresponding to the island’s low water mark. inshore and offshore waters. The marine park includes all offshore waters, The marine park covers almost all of Christmas which extend from 12 nautical miles from Island’s inshore/Territorial waters, which extend Christmas Island’s shoreline to the AEEZ. All of from its shoreline to 12 nautical miles. This this area is zoned a National Park Zone (green area is zoned a Habitat Protection Zone (yellow zone) (IUCN category II). This zoning reflects zone) (IUCN category IV). Most of the port that there has been no commercial fishing in area is not within the marine park, other than a this area since 2013 and that mining does not narrow strip along the western boundary of the occur and is not prospective. port (an area of about 1.8 square kilometres). This area aligns the marine park to the marine 94°0'E 96°0'E 98°0'E 100°0'E 102°0'E 104°0'E 106°0'E 108°0'E Proposed Cocos (Keeling) Islands Marine Park S S ' ' 0 0 ° ° 0 0 1 1 Inset 2 S S ' ' 0 Inset 1 0 ° ° 2 2 1 1 Proposed Christmas Island Marine Park S S ' ' 0 0 ° ° 4 4 1 1 0 100 200 300 km Approximate scale Projection: Geographics S S ' ' Datum: GDA94 (effectively WGS84) 0 0 ° ° 6 6 1 1 Proposed Christmas Island Marine Park & Cocos (Keeling) Islands Marine Park Inset 1 Inset 2 Consultation draft July 2021 South Keeling Christmas Maritime boundaries Proposed Marine Park zoning Other areas Islands Island Limit of Australia's exclusive economic National Park Zone (IUCN II) Area not part of marine park zone (Perth Treaty 1997) (approximately 200nm) Habitat Protection Zone (IUCN IV) National Park Territorial Sea Limit (approximately 12nm) Total area of proposed Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands MPAs = 744,069 sq km © Commonwealth of Australia, July 2021 Proposed Christmas Island 10°12’40”S Marine Park Consultation Draft July 2021 Maritime boundaries Territorial Sea Limit (approximately 12nm) Proposed Marine Park zoning National Park Zone (IUCN II) Habitat Protection Zone (IUCN IV) 10°24'S 1 Other areas 0 105°39’10.812”E 5 ° 4 Christmas Island National Park 3 ’ E Area not part of marine park 1 1 0 0 5 5 ° ° 1 5 9 5 ’ ’ 4 0 5 0 ” Inset 1 ” E E Inset 1 new marine park goes to low water mark where there is no existing marine zone existing marine zone of Christmas Island National Park Christmas Island EEZ 10°46’20”S 0 5 10 15 km Total area of proposed MPA = 277,016 sq km Approximate scale Projection: Geographics Datum: GDA94 (effectively WGS84) © Commonwealth of Australia, July 2021 Finalising the parks and declaration Review available scientific and other information and conduct consultation to identify the natural, social 1 and economic values of marine area Prepare a draft proposal for the design of the marine 2 park(s), describing the possible location, size and zoning of the parks. Current Release of initial draft stage marine park proposal 3 Marine park proposal released for public consultation in accordance 4 with the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act Director of National Parks considers comments received during the consultation period and reports 5 to the Commonwealth Environment Minister Environment Minister considers the report and the Commonwealth Government 6 makes a decision on whether to declare a new Australian Marine Park If new marine parks are declared, the process to prepare management plans 77 for these parks begins.