Determination of Marine Conservation Areas by means of Satellite Imagery and Participatory Planning in Bawean Island, Gresik Regency, East Java

Abstract

Bawean Island and its marine surrounding hold a lot of potential biotas in its marine ecosystem. To maintain these potential natural resources, it is necessary to make marine conservation efforts, one of which is by means of Bawean marine conservation area determination. This research began with the preparation of image processing to determine the distribution of seagrass and coral reef biota. Furthermore, a groundcheck was carried out to review the condition of the existing ecosystem, the results of which became input for FGD as a form of participatory planning. Categories, types, zones, and subzones of conservation areas are determined based on marine and fisheries regulations. As a result, seagrasses can be found at several points in Bawean waters with a total area of 125.60 ha. The average seagrass closure condition can be considered as moderate, with the most encountered species being Thalassia Hemprichii. Meanwhile, coral reefs distribution is scattered in almost all Bawean marine with a total cover area of 3,037.51 ha. The average live coral reef cover in the observation area reaches 76%, which can be considered as good condition.