It’s easy to think of Fiji as a paradise. The truth is the country has plenty of issues that deserve proper attention, and too often they’re sidestepped in favor of big-money projects that come at the expense of locals.
Right now, a local community of surfers, fishermen, and landowners are coming together to protest a proposed iron-sand mining project at the Sigatoka River mouth. The project, proposed by Australian-owned Magma Mines, could wipe out a precious wave, restrict access to the area, threaten important fishing grounds, and degrade a large stretch of the Coral Coast which could, in turn, negatively impact tourism and local businesses. It’s hard to say exactly how much is at stake, because landowners say they weren’t consulted on the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and it has been difficult to view or access.
The wave in question is directly out front of the Sigatoka River. Although the beach is about 4 miles long, the best wave is right in the zone of the proposed mine. While it may not be Cloudbreak, it is one of the only beach breaks in Fiji. This is highly important as it provides many locals the opportunity to surf without needing the boat, gas, and time commitment to surf distant reefs.
The EIA, which Fiji’s Department of Environment has opened for public review until October 30, isn’t posted online, according to locals. It must be viewed in-person at one of four locations, including the Sigatoka Town Council and the Department’s Western Division office in Lautoka. The Ministry says that a submitted EIA doesn’t mean the project is approved.
Locals like Stu Johnson and Kalani Miller, like many others, have been taking to Instagram and social media to raise awareness about the potential environmental impacts. Johnson, who moved to Fiji in 2012, speaks fluent Fijian, and is highly respected in the surf community said the following in his Instagram story.
“We’re getting together on Saturday as a surf community to share stories and tell everybody why the river mouth is worth preserving and protecting. At the very least, we want a detailed idea of what went into the environmental impact assessment, before the Fiji government gives a license to a foreign mining company out of Australia to do as they wish: block access, change the whole landscape, and potentially destroy the wave, as well as the livelihoods of all the people who fish in that river. You go there any day at low tide, people are fishing there.
We want to know what’s in that EIA study. It’s not online. It’s available at the Ministry of Environment. If anyone can go and read it, take a photo, and share it with us, that would be epic. Let’s see you guys on Saturday.”
We’ll be keeping an eye on this story and sharing any significant developments.
Related: Beyond Cloudbreak: How Hanua Is Flipping the Script on Fijian Surfing
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