Identifying fish assemblages in tropical lagoon ecosystem: First record from Luang Island, South-west Maluku Indonesia

Abstract

The aim of this study was to record demersal species from lagoon in Luang Island, a small and remote island in Maluku, Indonesia. Quantitative and qualitative methods were employed with the assistance of the local fishers using 4 different methods of fishing: gillnets, spear guns, traps, and handlines. Fisher knowledge informed fish abundance and frequency of occurrence. A total of 348 individual fish distributed across 53 species were recorded from the catch of 4 gear types. Bray-Curtis similarity scores of fish assemblages at different habitats was ranged from 7.19% to 10.35%. The nMDS bi-plot visualized a distinct dimension with which to allocate 3 habitats separately from the sand-seagrass habitat. Significant similarity of species at 4 different habitats (ANOSIM R2 = 0.124, P = 0.002) suggested that the habitat parameter was not able to predict different communities of fish. This paper is the first contribution on the composition of lagoon ichthyofaunal in Southwest Maluku Regency. Wise attitude towards marine resource exploitation such as traditional conservation, less fishing pressure and marine culture will maintain the healthy ichthyofaunal assemblages in a tropical lagoon ecosystem.