Stunting technique innovation for increasing milkfish production on traditional ponds in Usto Village, Mare District, Bone

Abstract

Milkfish (Chanos chanos) is a fish of high economic value with nutritional content and good taste (savory) like milk, with an oblong flattened body shape which is ideal as a bait for skipjack, mackarel, and tuna fish. Various efforts were made to increase pond productivity, including changing the orientation of cultivation from the target of consumption milkfish production to feed milkfish production. One technique that can be done to increase pond productivity is stunting techniques for bait milkfish cultivation. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of stunting techniques for increasing production of bait milkfish on traditional ponds in Usto Village, Mare District, Bone Regency. The research method used is quantitative research with the type of experimental research, where the effectiveness of stunting techniques is measured through measuring fish growth starting from the initial cultivation phase (post-stunting) to the harvest phase (end cultivation). The study was conducted for three months, from August to October (early November). The results of the study found that stunting techniques can increase fish productivity, by triggering the growth rate of milkfish in the cultivation phase with an average growth of 0.85-1.5 cm per week or 0.12-0.20 cm per day. Stunting techniques also pose a high risk, especially in size and mortality inequality in fish and reduce survival rates, due to high density. The stunting technique with a stocking density of 100,000 seed per hectare, is able to produce bait milkfish measuring 100-200 grams per pieces, which is 6-8 tons per hectare with an Survival Rate (SR) rate of 80%. Thus, this technique is considered good enough to increase pond production, especially in cultivation of bait milkfish.