[Source: Civa Fiji Pearls]

Taveuni pearl farmer Claude Prevost has joined a host of resort owners, community leaders, and business owners in Taveuni, Qamea, and Matagi in strongly opposing the proposed wave engineering project in Maqai.

Prevost says the World Wave Project proposal to create surf waves by smashing coral reef will seriously affect his pearl farm.

He says having cracking agents, diggers, and excavators digging up reefs will lift a lot of sediments in the water and will affect the oysters.

“I think the project at WWP comes at a time when we are trying to be careful with our reefs and our environment. I can understand that sometimes, we, as a society take steps in doing development that affect the reef either to build a bridge or open a port. But, shaving reef for the sole purpose of creating surf waves is ridiculous. Completely ridiculous.”

[Source: Civa Fiji Pearls]

In response to FBC News’ questions, WWP says the equipment that will be utilised is still being investigated by the various construction experts.

However, it says rock density samples have been analyzed so that construction experts can consider techniques and manual methods such as a digger on a barge and crackling compounds that expand in the drilled holes.

WWP adds that small areas of a few 10’s of squared meters would be worked on at a time to reduce the potential for creating large quantities of fine suspended material.

WWP wants to create 3-5 prototype waves which it says will attract additional investment in new resorts in the area creating employment opportunities for the locals.