Improved Management and Conservation Practices for the Cocos Island Marine Conservation Area

This project will result in the reduction of threats to the Island’s marine and terrestrial biodiversity through strengthening protected areas management and regulating local economic activities in a sustainable manner. As other islands, Cocos Island has evolved quite isolated from the mainland leading to a high degree of marine and terrestrial biodiversity and high endemism. These biodiversity is under threat due to among other things: extensive fishing, visitation and tourism, and the introduction of alien, invasive species. The project will improve enforcement and compliance with policy and regulatory frameworks, improve tourism management eradicate and control alien, invasive species to allow restoration of native species, develop financial instruments to generate revenues to sustain conservation activities and provide economic incentives to promote sustainable use of biodiversity resources, and reform relevant policy and regulatory frameworks as needed to create a secure, functioning and effective enabling environment.