Suitability water quality parameters for seaweed culture at Muara Gembong coastal area, Bekasi District

Abstract

Seaweed is one of the vital export aquaculture commodities in West Java of Indonesia. Since 2013, seaweed production in Muara Gembong Sub-District, especially Pantai Mekar Beach and Pantai Sederhana Villages, can be produced 7.000 tons from total 10.000 seaweed culture fisheries of Bekasi District (80%) that was developed with a polyculture system. To ensure the long-term success of providing seaweed production, evaluation of suitable location is an essential step in any aquaculture operation. This study was conducted to analyze suitable sites for seaweed aquaculture in the coastal area of Muara Gembong based on the condition of water quality. Water quality data were collected from 11 stations during field surveys in March, July, and October 2018. Water quality parameters were observed with physical parameters (Secchi disk transparency, temperature, and depth) and chemical parameters (salinity, pH, DO, phosphate, and nitrate). Evaluation of water quality data included compile of matrix suitability design through some works of literature. The suitability coastal areas were analyzed to get suitable location used GIS software from coordinate data and water quality parameters, which were compared. The class “suitable” has a score of 4, the “suitable enough” class has a score of 3, the “suitable with conditionals” class has a score of 2, and the class “not suitable” has a score of 1. Based on the measurement result, the “suitable” areas were Station 7 (Front of Muara Mati), Station 8 (Outermost Muara Mati), Station 11 (Muara Kuntul), and Station 12 (Front of Muara Kuntul). The coverage area that was in a suitable area category is 962.72 Ha (9.63 km2). The location also linear with the result based on salinity, DO, and transparency (Secchi dish transparency). There are selected locations compared with other stations in Muara Gembong coastal waters because those locations face waste problems from Citarum Watershed and Jakarta Bay. Also, the sites serve as a source of livelihood for the community.

Macrozoobenthic Community Structures in Seaweed Culture Ponds in Muara Gembong Estuary, Bekasi , West Java Province, Indonesia

“…The results showed that water quality among the culture ponds was quite varied. Data of temperature, salinity and pH were considered to be suitable for culturing Graciliaria sp., even though water clarity and dissolved oxygen was found not suitable (Mujiyanto et al 2014). Data of water clarity in all ponds were lower than the suitable range.…”

“…The depth of each culture pond was around one meter due to dry season when the sample collection was conducted. In addition, Mujiyanto et al (2014) stated that the Muara Gembong Estuary was classified as having shallow waters. However, in regard to the existence of macrozoobenthic communities, the water quality parameters were within the acceptable range (Marpaung et al 2014;Syamsurisal 2011).…”

“…and Eucheuma cottonii are the two popular species of seaweed out of the 50 cultured seaweeds species in Indonesia (Deswati & Luhur 2014). West Java provincial authorities claimed that seaweed is one of the primadonna of the aquaculture export commodities with Bekasi District contributing 10,000 tonnes of dried seaweed, in which 7,000 tonnes was produced from the Muara Gembong seaweed culture area (Mujiyanto et al 2014). Seaweed is often cultivated in polyculture system with milkfish (Chanos chanos) and/or tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon).…”

“…Thus, water quality parameters such as the level of nutrient content, suspended organic matter as well as weeds-and diseases-free environment are important requirements for culturing Gracilaria sp. to attain maximum growth (Reksono et al 2012;Mujiyanto et al 2014). In aquatic ecosystem, nutrients availability was maintained by macrozoobenthic organisms.…”

Isolation and identification of bacterial pathogens causing ice-ice disease in Eucheuma cottonii seaweed at Seira Island Waters, Tanimbar Islands District, Maluku, Indonesia

“…The industrial demand for carrageenan, specifically in the food and beverage sector, is quite high in accordance with market demand. Moreover, excessive acidity or alkalinity in the water can affect carrageenan content in seaweed (Mujiyanto et al 2020). This plant is widely cultivated in Asian, African, and Oceania countries because of the abundance and high economic value.…”