The Right Fishing Gear for Palabuhanratu Fishermen
Palabuhanratu Bay in Sukabumi, West Java, has an abundance of demersal fish. These include crustaceans such as rajungan (swimming crabs), lobsters, groupers, snappers, squids, cuttlefish, and swanggi (a type of fish). Unfortunately, their utilization is still far from optimal.
In response to this issue, a team of lecturers from IPB University introduced an innovative multispecies multi-level folding trap and bait booster to fishermen in Loji Village, Simpenan District.
“This multi-species folding trap is suitable for use in the three types of seabed substrates in the waters of Palabuhanratu Bay,” said Dr Zulkarnain to the fishermen during the Homecoming Lectures (Dospulkam) program (7/28)
He explained in more detail that the multi species folding trap is a modified fishing gear based on the innovation of a two door krendet trap. This gear is rectangular in shape and consists of an upper and lower part.
“The bottom part measures 15 cm and uses a slitway-shaped funnel, while the top part measures 35 cm and uses a funnel with plastic fiber mesh. Each part has two funnels,” explained Dr Zulkarnain.
“The length and width of this multi-species multilevel folding trap are 80 cm and 60 cm. The total volume of the catchable area is 0,24 cubic meters,” he added.
Advantages
Dr Zulkarnain explained that this fishing gear has advantages in utilizing demersal fish. The lower trap targets crustaceans, such as rajungan and lobsters. Meanwhile, the upper trap targets bottom-dwelling fish such as snapper and grouper. Other types of catches include tiger snails and cuttlefish.
In addition, he and his team also introduced a bait booster. This innovation is a combination of several types of bait derived from marine and terrestrial animals that contain animal protein with essential amino acids, such as tembang fish, pepetek fish, squid, tiger snails, earthworms, and chicken eggs.
The bait mixture is then chopped into a thick solution. Frozen bait boosters can weigh between 500 and 1000 grams. The function of these boosters is more specifically to release an aroma that attracts fish, rather than serving as bait or fish feed.
“The bait booster serves to effectively collect crustaceans and other fish by approaching the source of the scent so that they can be easily caught by fishermen’s fishing gear,” explained Dr Zulkarnain.
On this occasion, the fishermen also had the opportunity to experience firsthand how to make multispecies multilevel folding traps, massive multilevel traps, and frozen bait boosters.
“This innovation will be very beneficial for us fishermen in utilizing demersal fish resources in Palabuhanratu Bay,” said one of the participants.
The Dospulkam team consists of Dr Zulkarnain, Prof Ronny Irawan Wahju, Dr Fis Purwangka, DrWazir Mawardi; Anisa Fitri, Mega Rustika, Luh Cinta (students); Syarif Budiman, SPi, MSi, Arik Permana, SPi, MSi, Thomas Palisu, SPi, and Ende Kasma, SPi, MSi (Cipatuguran Palabuhanratu Marine Field Station, IPB). (*/Rz) (IAAS/RWA)
