The potential of mangroves in supporting fisheries tourism in Banyak Island, Langkat Regency, Indonesia

Abstract

Penelitian ini mengkaji potensi ekosistem mangrove sebagai kawasan ekowisata berbasis perikanan dengan menggunakan pendekatan ekologi. Penelitian ini berlangsung dari Oktober 2022 hingga Oktober 2023 di Desa Pulau Banyak, Kabupaten Langkat, Provinsi Sumatera Utara, Indonesia. Pengumpulan data kerapatan mangrove dilakukan dengan metode transek kuadrat berukuran 10x10 m2 (20 transek), dengan jarak antar transek 20 m. Pengamatan biota perairan dilakukan di sekitar kawasan mangrove. Ditemukan 10 jenis mangrove yang hidup di kawasan hutan mangrove Desa Pulau Banyak, antara lain: Sonneratia alba, Avicennia marina, Rhizophora apiculata, Rhizophora mucronata, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, Lumnitzera littorea, Acanthus ilicifolius, Acrostichum speciosum, Pemphis acidula, dan Nypa fruticans. Kondisi kerapatan hutan mangrove tergolong kerapatan tinggi, yaitu 1520 ind ha-1. Dua belas spesies biota akuatik menghuni kawasan ini, terdiri dari 5 spesies ikan (Lates calcarifer, Eleutheronema tetradactylum, Chanos chanos, Megalops cyprinoides, Plotosus canius), 3 spesies udang (Metapenaeus ensis, Penaeus monodon, Penaeus merguiensis), 2 spesies kepiting (Scylla serrata, Scylla tranquebarica), dan 2 spesies bivalvia (Geloina erosa, Geloina expansa). Hal ini menunjukkan bahwa lokasi ini berpotensi menjadi kawasan wisata berbasis perikanan. This research examines the potential of mangrove ecosystems as fisheries-based ecotourism areas using an ecological approach. This research took place from October 2022 to October 2023 in Pulau Banyak Village, Langkat Regency, North Sumatra Province, Indonesia. Mangrove density data collection was carried out using the 10x10 m2 quadrat transect method (20 transects), with a distance of 20 m between transects. Observation of aquatic biota was carried out around the mangrove area. It was observed that 10 species of mangroves live in the mangrove forest area of Pulau Banyak village, including: Sonneratia alba, Avicennia marina, Rhizophora apiculata, Rhizophora mucronata, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, Lumnitzera littorea, Acanthus ilicifolius, Acrostichum speciosum, Pemphis acidula, and Nypa fruticans. The mangrove forest density condition was a high density, with 1520 ind ha-1. Twelve species of aquatic biota inhabit this area, consisting of 5 species of fish (Lates calcarifer, Eleutheronema tetradactylum, Chanos chanos, Megalops cyprinoides, Plotosus canius), 3 species of shrimp (Metapenaeus ensis, Penaeus monodon, Penaeus merguiensis), 2 species of crabs (Scylla serrata, Scylla tranquebarica), and 2 species of bivalves (Geloina erosa, Geloina expansa). This shows that this location has the potential to become a fisheries-based tourism area.