Soil sedimentation effect on the coastal marine environment, Tefisi Village, Vava'u

Abstract

The Tefisi community was concerned of the possible adverse effect of soil being eroded into their coastal environment affecting the marine lives in the areas. In Tefisi, the surface soil is washed away from land development sites, farmland and the settlement areas in every significant rainfall. The fine soil particles flow into the coastal marine environment unchecked, causing the otherwise clear marine environment to become turbid. The outflow of soil not only destroys the ecosystems of the coastal environment, but seriously impacts the local fishery.