Spatial Analysis of Blue Swimming Crab Fishing Areas in The Banten Bay Muhammad Fakhri Alwi, Ririn Irnawati, Hery Sutrawan Nurdin
Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa University
Abstract
Blue swimming crab (BSC, Portunus pelagicus) is commonly found throughout Indonesia, but most crab fishing effort is concentrated in North Java, Lampung, and Sulawesi, including Banten Bay. Catching BSC takes place throughout the year in Banten Bay. BSC fishers in the Banten Bay carry out fishing operations using a bottom gillnet called crab gillnet. So far, in determining the location of fishing areas, fishers generally still use traditional methods based on the fishers^ abilities or those obtained from generation to generation. This study aimed to analyze the spatial distribution and characteristics of the crab fishing area in Banten Bay and identify the catch from the crab gillnet. The research method used is a survey with experimental fishing. This study explores crab fishing areas and their characteristics by measuring depth and identifying the bottom substrate, temperature, salinity, and water brightness. Using the purposive sampling method, a sampling of research locations in 21 trips. The result shows that the spatial location distribution of the BSC fishing ground is around Tarahan Island, Lima Island, Kubur Island, and Burung Island. The fishing ground characteristics include temperature range from 25-28.5oC, depth 3.3-12.5 m, salinity 25-30 ppt, brightness values 100-135, and mud bottom substrate. The catch composition included BSC (Portunus sp.) 64,5%, eel tailed catfish (Plofosus sp.) 0,1%, mud crab (Scylla sp.) 17,4%, shrimp (Penaeus sp.) 13,6%, grouper (Epinephelus coioides) 0,2%, squid (Loligo) 1,1% and octopus (Octopoda) 0,1%. Kubur island (3rd trip) is a potential location for fishing BSC in Banten Bay water.
Keywords: blue swimming crab, fishing ground, Banten Bay
Topic: Marine and Fisheries Geographic Information System (International)
