Oceanographic conditions in HMAS perth maritime conservation area, Serang Regency, Banten Province

Abstract

The efforts to protect underwater sites such as shipwreck sites by assigning them as Maritime Conservation Areas are needed because they are limited, non-renewable and fragile cultural heritage. The location of the battleship HMAS Perth is one of the underwater shipwreck sites in Banten Bay waters. Several sites of other sunken warships and merchant ships are currently in Banten Bay waters. HMAS Perth designated as a Maritime Conservation Area on February 28, 2018, through the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Decree No. 21/KEPMEN-KP/2018. The Central Government and Regional Governments carry out the management. One of the efforts to map the environmental conditions in the area is to carry out biophysical monitoring activities, including oceanographic conditions. Observations of oceanographic parameters were focused on the HMAS Perth ship site area and were covering nine stations. The parameters observed were depth, sea surface temperature, pH, DO, TDS, conductivity, and salinity. Observations show that the depth HMAS Perth Maritime Conservation Area ranges from 31.60-44.65 meters, the measurement of sea surface temperature showed a value of 30.4-31.2 °C. The pH concentration indicates that the waters are in acidic conditions, while the DO concentration was in the range of 5.95-6.94 mg/L. The TDS value at nine stations has an average value at six stations was 24 mg/L, while two stations showed an average of 5 mg/L. The salinity concentration found around 25-35 ppt, and the conductivity values have been ranges 38.6-40.1 mS/cm. Overall, the oceanographic conditions HMAS Perth Maritime Conservation Areas are suitable and meet the marine quality standards following the Minister of Environment Decree No. 51/2004 to survive the marine organism.