Mining Threatens Raja Ampat Grouper Ecosystem, IPB Marine Science Professor Warns of Impacts
Raja Ampat is not only a marine tourism paradise. It also holds tremendous potential as a national and international grouper production center. Professor of Coastal and Marine Ecology at IPB University, Prof Dietriech Geoffrey Bengen, said that Raja Ampat’s position in the grouper production map is very strategic due to its rich marine biodiversity.
“Raja Ampat is dubbed as the heart of the world’s coral triangle. This reality makes the region ideal for capture fisheries and grouper farming,” he said.
Prof Dietriech added that the local government and various stakeholders have shown commitment through the development of grouper aquaculture and nurseries to strengthen national food security.
Since 2005, Raja Ampat has been actively involved in the live grouper trade. The main production still comes from natural catches that are sent to major cities such as Makassar and Kendari, before being exported to Hong Kong and China. The government continues to promote the dissemination of seeds and aquaculture technology to boost productivity and added value in a sustainable manner.
However, in the midst of this blue economy, there is a serious threat from mining activities in coastal areas. Prof Dietriech warns that mining activities can have direct and indirect impacts that are very damaging to aquatic habitats, especially grouper breeding and farming areas.
“The direct impact can be seen in sedimentation and high water turbidity due to mining soil erosion. These sediments can cover coral reefs and seagrass beds, which are important habitats for grouper fish to spawn and shelter,” he explained.
In addition, continued Prof Dietriech, mining waste containing heavy metals such as nickel, mercury and arsenic can be toxic to marine life. Grouper eggs and larvae are particularly vulnerable to exposure to these heavy metals, causing reproductive and growth disorders.
More dangerously, these heavy metals can accumulate in the bodies of marine organisms and increase their concentration in the food chain, including humans.
“Other physical impacts such as changes in seabed morphology due to dredging, as well as habitat fragmentation, also disrupt fish migration patterns and worsen fisheries sustainability,” he said.
Prof Dietriech explained that deteriorating water quality due to mining waste and changes in environmental parameters such as temperature and salinity, indirectly affect grouper survival. The loss of coral reefs and seagrass will disrupt the natural food chain, threatening the growth of fry and young groupers.
“In aquaculture, declining water quality causes stress in fish, increases the risk of disease, and leads to mass mortality. This is economically costly and threatens the food security of coastal communities,” he added.
Disturbance from the marine traffic of mining vessels was also cited as a problem. Large vessels can damage fishermen’s fishing gear, trigger noise that disrupts fish migration, and increase the risk of pollution from oil spills. Spatial conflicts between industrial activities and traditional fisheries are inevitable.
Prof Dietriech explained that the protection of marine ecosystems such as in Raja Ampat is a long-term investment for the economic and social sustainability of the community.
“Raja Ampat is not only a tourist destination and the center of world grouper production, but also an important symbol of our efforts to maintain a balance between conservation and natural resource utilization,” he added. (dr) (IAAS/KQA)
