Indian Ocean Territories Marine Parks Grants

Overview

The Australian Government is inviting applications via an open process to deliver services under the Indian Ocean Territories (IOT) Marine Parks Grants Program (the program). The Australian Government has allocated up to $2.2 million GST exclusive over 3 years for the program, which forms part of the broader $100 million Ocean Leadership Package announced in April 2021. The program will support the establishment of 2 new marine parks around Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands over a 3 year period from 2022–23 to 2024–25. The intended objectives of the program are to: enhance the protection, promotion, understanding of and local engagement in the marine environment and marine parks support local employment and ecologically sustainable economic growth. The intended outcomes of the program are: engagement of IOT communities in the management and protection of the marine environment enhanced knowledge to support IOT marine management and protection increased appreciation and understanding of the marine environment of the IOTs enhanced capacity of IOT communities to manage marine parks maintain and improve the health of the marine environment creation of employment and other economic opportunities for IOT community members.