Hydro-Oceanographic and Water Quality Assesments As a Basis for the Development of Offshore Aquaculture in the Weh Island, Aceh Province, Indonesia

Abstract

The waters of Weh Island, Aceh Province has potency become the area for offshore aquaculture. Offshore Floating Net Cages can be an appropriate technology in increasing the biomass cultivation in Weh Island waters. However, no feasibility study has been done. Therefore, this study aims to examine the suitability of offshore aquaculture locations in the East and South regions of Weh Island Based on Hydro-oceanography parameters. The parameters examined were water quality parameters such as temperature, brightness, pH, salinity and dissolved oxygen. In addition, we also examined the aspects of physical oceanography such as tides, currents and bathymetry. The results show that the water depth ranged from 0-57 m. The tidal type in the Weh Island waters is mixed tide prevailing semidiurnal with the tidal range of 1.9 m. The average of current speed ranged from 19.03-37.67 cm/s with the directions predominantly toward northwest and southeast. It is concluded that the water quality data show that the eastern and southern parts of Weh Island are categorized as the feasible locations for offshore aquaculture. Keywords: Sabang, Hydro-oceanography, Fisheries, Offshoreaquaculture, Floating net cages

Velocity Components of Currents and Transport Mechanism in the Ie Meulee Waters, Weh Island, Indonesia

“…Compared to the previous related studies in the Weh Island (wisha et al, 2019 andOndara et al, 2019) where the current speed ranged from 0-0.12 m/s in the Sabang Bay and 0.19-0.3 m/s in the Keunekai Waters, the current speed is sufficiently uniform, but different in the dominant direction which depends on the wind regimes (Purba et al, 2014).…”

“…This dynamic vertical transport mechanism potentially supports the primary productivity enhancement in which the distribution of deposited nutrients will take place inducing biogeochemical cycle disruption in the waters (Wisha and Ondara, 2018b). Previous research published by Ondara et al (2019) defined that based on the water quality survey, Ie Meulee waters is categorized into fertile water area where the biodiversity in the Ie Meulee waters is the greatest compared to other coastal areas in Weh Island (Yulianto et al, 2017;Campbell et al, 2012).…”

“…Fishery resources in Weh Island are severely wealthy, especially in the Ie Meulee waters that becomes the center of capture fisheries and aquaculture. This region has tremendous ecosystem structures in which the coral cover is the largest in the Weh Island (Ondara et al, 2019). Unfortunately, the utilization of fishing gear, that was not environmentally friendly (fish bombing) occurred several years ago, damaged the central fisheries impacting ecosystem issues (Wisha and Ondara, 2018a).…”

Hydrodynamics Sabang Bay and Its Influence on Near Shore Sediment Transport, Weh Island, Indonesia

“…The dynamic of water flow and sediment characteristics are predicted as the main factors triggering this issue. Massive developments of hard structure in the coastal area of Sabang has a significant impact on coastal instability (Ondara et al, 2019). Furthermore, the constructions contribute to the increase of sediment waste into the waters (Agus, 2019), instantly increasing turbidity and suspended sediment within the bay.…”

“…Several previous related studies have been published that determine the oceanography profiles in Sabang Bay such as defined the influence of surface current on the distribution of surface temperature evoked by seafloor fumaroles, while Wisha et al (2019) and Ondara et al (2019) assessed the feasibility of offshore aquaculture based on the hydro-oceanography data. Nevertheless, the sedimentation issue is rarely studied in Sabang Bay.…”