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The purpose of this report is to outline the development and prioritisation of high-level EbA options to address key pressures and threats for the study area, with consideration of a range of different impacts of these options. This builds on the ESRAM and will inform the development of the Integrated Ecosystem Management Plan.

Located in the Central Division of Fiji, the Navua River and Beqa lagoon support high social, ecological and economic values. The river floodplains support subsistence farming and commercial agriculture, and the river and tributaries provide an important transport route to villages that are difficult to reach. The catchment includes the Upper Navua Gorge, which is a designated conservation area due to its high ecological significance and the forests containing traditional foods and medicines. The lagoon has been endorsed as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA) through the International Maritime Organization. An abundance of sea life including coral, fish, sharks and turtles resides in the lagoon. Local communities have deep cultural and spiritual connections to the lagoon, and many rely upon it as a traditional fishing ground for subsistence and commercial fishing. The river and lagoon support an extensive tourism industry including river tubing, white water rafting and the Namosi Eco Retreat within the catchment, as well as shark diving, surfing, scuba diving and snorkelling, with resorts located on and around Beqa Island.

This report is an outcome of the high degree of cooperation and collaboration that exists between the implementing partners of the Australia Aid-funded Climate and Ocean Support Program in the Pacific (COSPPac). specifically the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), the Pacific Community (SPC) and Pacific Regional Environmental Programme (SPREP) together with the valuable ongoing support from the national meteorological services in the IS partner countries and territories.

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Technical report