Coral Reef Restoration to Support the Sustainable Seaturtle Habitat in Balabalakang Marine Park, Makassar Strait Indonesia Syafyudin Yusuf, Chair Rani, Shinta Werorilangi, Yayu La Nafie4 Ahmad Faizal, Widyastuti Umar, Muhammad Bahri, Aksel Williams8
Marine Science Dept, Marine and Fisheries Faculty, Hasanuddin University, Makassar Indonesia
Abstract
Coral reefs around the world have experienced degradation in the last three decades due to natural and anthropogenic events. This degradation can disrupt ecosystems and the flow of energy through the food chain of living biota associated with coral reefs. One of the important organisms in the flow of energy in coral reefs are sea turtles. Sea turtles depend on the forage available around coral reefs and seagrass beds. How can coral transplants restore damaged coral reef habitat around turtle feeding ground? This study aims to determine the initial conditions and growth of transplanted corals to support the turtle population^s habitat. This study compared reef habitat cover data on natural corals and transplanted areas after 9 months of transplantation, determined survival, and measured growth in the length of transplanted branching corals. The results showed that the survival of the transplanted corals decreased by 50 percent on Salisingan Island and by 90 percent on Gusung Durian Island after six months of transplantation (October 2022). Then all sites recorded decreased survival in November due to coral bleaching. Live coral cover in the transplanted area was significantly lower than that of natural coral reefs. Absolute coral growth ranged from 3.96-6.04 cm/9 months. If the transplanted live coral cover is close to natural cover, it means that the reef habitat restoration program is deemed successful in supporting turtle nursery habitat. As sea turtles are a key species for the Balabalakang Marine Park, the Regional Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Service and Hasanuddin University are still making efforts to protect shallow marine species, populations, and habitats. The ID2 Mubadala program provides several activities to support endangered sea turtle species in Indonesia, a region with a diversity of hotspots in the world.
Keywords: Reef Restoration, Sea Turtle, Marine Park, Balabalakang, West Sulawesi, Indonesia
