| dc.description.abstract | A study on development model for regional conservation in the coastal and small islands of Weda Bay, Regency Central Halmahera, Province North Maluku was conducted from June to November 2012. The objectives of the study were 1) to assess and identify existing ecosystem and natural resources there in; 2) to analyze the suitability of conservation area for marine fisheries ecotourism; 3) to analyze assimilative capacity and carrying capacity for environmental utilization; and 4) to analyze structural institution model based on tourism demand, marine fisheries ecotourism, and the sustainability of coastal and small islands in Weda Bay. Analyses performed for this study were 1) toponymy analysis, based on species identification, diversity, and lifeform; 2) conservation criteria, suitability matrices, and spatial analysis; 3) assimilative thresholds and carrying capacity for environment and utilization; 4) Travel Cost Method (TCM), Interpretative Structural Modeling (ISM) and Rapfish. From this study, there are 28 uninhabited islands, 6 families of mangroves, 10 species of seagrass, 14 types of lifeform with dominant reef feature of fringing and barrier, while bottom feature consisted of slopes and drop offs. To accommodate both conservation and economic development, mangrove area should be developed for ecotourism purpose. Assimilative capacity in this study indicated that several chemical parameters were under threshold limits for mariculture, port, and tourism development. Carrying capacity for marine fisheries ecotourism indicated that dominant use should directed to mangrove tourism. Finally, development model for supporting increased tourist visits to study area should consider travel cost and tourist income according to country of origin. Institutional management for coastal and small islands should incorporate government, tourists and university, in order to promote sustainable development for tourism and natural resource production. For supporting local fish-based product, fisherman, and capture fishery capitalization, there should be regulation in setting market price, fishery resource management, regional investment regulation, and consistent applied policy. Optimal sustainability for development of coastal and small islands in Weda Bay is possible when improvements are applied to ecology, economy, socio-culture, and institutional dimension. | en |
