The Study on Sustainable Utilization of Marine Ornamental Coral in Lampung Bay Waters, Pesawaran Regency, Lampung Province.

Abstract

Indonesia is the main supplier of ornamental coral reef in the world. The second biggest ornamental coral supplier in Indonesia is Lampung Bay, after South Sulawesi. According to the Convention on International in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), ornamental corals are classified in Appendix 2, which means they are species that are not necessarily threatened with extinction, but may become so unless trade in specimens of such species is subject to strict regulation in order to avoid utilization incompatible with the survival of the species in the wild. Therefore, in order to ensure that management of the coral ornamental is sustainable, its abundance based on group size, its biological nature, environmental factors and its utilization should be considered. Data and information were collected and analyzed based on those above aspects. Approximately 90% of ornamental coral species usually characterized as slow growing corals. The commercial types have very high quota in the market. However, during three years of observation, the fishers were only able to deliver approximately 50% of exporter’s orders. The result of the survey taken from 16 stations showed that only 4 species of 24 species that had abundance of ≥2000 ind/ha, the rests had a very low abundance. The evidence of over-exploitation was also found. The ideal management should be based on the potential of ornamental coral in each location, in order to set the Total Allowable Collect (TAC). Based on the calculation of TAC, five species were not recommended for use because they had not only low abundance but also they did not have mature colony for reproduction. Hence the utilization of the other nineteen species should be limited in the range of 2-15% of the existing population in the area. According to value of TAC expected in the future, these species still have the opportunity to increase their population.