Abstract
The effectiveness of green mussel (Perna viridis) cultivation was compared between longline culture and the traditional bamboo stake method using different mussel densities in a rural area on the north coast of Java, Indonesia. The study took place in a rural area about 2 km north-east from the city of Semarang where unsustainable shrimp and fish pond culture in the past has led to massive mangrove loss, spiralling environmental degradation and socio-economic disintegration. Mangrove-friendly alternatives for a sustainable socio-economic recovery of local livelihoods are urgently being sought. Longlines were more successful than the stake method in spat collection. Longlines also showed a small but significantly higher relative weight gain and specific growth rate for mussels than bamboo stakes. Mussels in lower densities showed higher survival and grew to larger individual sizes, but initial seeding density had no significant effect on relative weight gain or specific growth rate per stocking. Slightly lower set-up costs and time investment and somewhat higher yields for longlines give an almost twofold higher income per time unit of own time invested by the farmer for longline culture over the traditional stake culture method. The profitability of mussel culture using the stake method is below the average hourly wage for skilled labour, but above that when using the longline method. We conclude that green mussel culture using the longline system is feasible as an alternative to less sustainable forms of livelihood for the local communities in mangrove areas.
Highlights
The green mussel, Perna viridis, is an excellent source of protein, fat and carbohydrates (Chakraborty et al, 2016), making it a popular source of food for local communities, throughout South-East Asia, including Indonesia
Our results indicate higher growth rates and resulting weight yields for mussels grown in longline culture compared with mussels grown in stake culture
The only difference in culture conditions between the two methods was that the mussels grew in stockings attached to a stationary support with stake culture, while with longline culture they grew in a stocking that can move and turn with water currents, wind and wave action
Summary
The green mussel, Perna viridis, is an excellent source of protein, fat and carbohydrates (Chakraborty et al, 2016), making it a popular source of food for local communities, throughout South-East Asia, including Indonesia. Alternatives potentially include the revitalization of nearshore fisheries based on the nursery function of mangroves (Anneboina & Kumar, 2017; Hutchison et al, 2014), mangrove ecotourism (Satyanarayana et al, 2012), sustainable harvest of mangrove forest products (Feurer et al, 2018; Kusmana, 2018) or a combination of these. The objectives of this project were to conduct feasibility trials on developing green mussel culture as an alternative livelihood for the impoverished coastal fishing communities of Demak, Java. We compare spat settlement, survival and growth to market size between longline rope culture technique used elsewhere and the traditional stake (‘rompong’) method
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