Fish Farming Development Potency with Floating Fish Cage System in Amurang District, South Minahasa Regency, Indonesia

Abstract

Coastal waters of South Minahasa Regency is potential for fish farming of floating fish cage system, but the potency has not been optimally taken yet.Low interest of the people in running this fish farming system results from slow fish growth and mortality.In general, the failure of this culture system is a consequence of location setting that does not consider the water quality condition as a site suitability requirement.Until now, there is no study on site suitability of fish farming in floating nets in South Minahasa Regency, particularly Amurang District, affecting the fish farming success.This study was aimed at determining the site suitability for trevally (caranx spp.) farming using the floating fish cage system in the coastal waters of Amurang District, South Minahasa Regency. It was carried out in Amurang Bay using a survey method. The primary data was obtained by direct field measurement at the observation points using a Global Positioning System (GPS). The determination of sampling points was expected to be able to describe the condition of Amurang waters. The secondary datacovered the 1:50.000-scaled earth map of South Minahasa with Arc-Info format released from Badan Koordinasi Survei and Pemetaan Nasional (Bakorsutanal-National Coordination Body for Survey and Mapping) and Landsat 7-ETM image. Water samples were analyzed in the Water Laboratory Nusantara. Data Analyisesused Geographic Information System..In general, sites for floating cage fish farming in Amurang District were categorized as suitable, conditional suitable, unsuitable.The area available and potential for this culture system was 150 Haandsuitable for trevally (caranx spp.) culture was38 Ha. This suitability data was expected to become critical information and reference for the regional government, investors, fishermen and fish farmers in developing the fish culture in the floating fish cage. Keywords: site feasibility, suitability, water quality.