Webinar Series #1 “Aquaculture Supporting Mangrove”, The Concept of Ponds and Mangroves to Save the Coast

AQUACULTURE, SEMARANG – The Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, Diponegoro University (FPIK UNDIP) introduced a new concept in marine coastal protection, namely mangrove forests and the existence of ponds for farmers. This new concept is considered successful in protecting the three against the threat of abrasion and land subsidence along the North Coast of Java (Pantura). Professor of the Department of Aquaculture FPIK UNDIP, Prof. Dr. Sri Rejeki explained that this new concept is called Associated Mangrove Aquaculture (AMA) or a mangrove connected pond system.

The background of this AMA concept is land subsidence caused by various factors. Starting from the massive use of ground water, logging of mangrove forests which eventually caused 640 hectares of ponds to be lost in Demak Regency and another 900 hectares were affected by land subsidence and abrasion. Abrasion causes the beach morphology to change and the coastline to move. As a result, the environmental and socio-economic quality of the community also changes. Moreover, many farmers are starting to lose their ponds and causing unemployment and new poverty. “The AMA concept is different from the previous one, silvofishery. Where mangroves are not planted in embankments or in ponds,” said Sri Rejeki in the Webinar Series #1 “Aquaculture Supporting Mangrove”, which was held some time ago.

In the webinar opened by the Dean of FPIK UNDIP, Prof. Dr. Tri Winarni Agustini presented a number of resource persons, namely Project Manager and Researcher at The Chair Group Aquaculture and Fisheries (AFI) 2001 – 2019, Dr Roel H Bosma; Lecturer of the Department of Aquaculture FPIK UNDIP, Restiana Wisnu Ariyati MSi; Community Developer in the Building with Nature Project that facilitates the planning of 9 villages in Demak Regency, Eko Budi Priyanto; and Deltares researcher Ira Wardani.

Prof. Sri Rejeki said that generally ponds on the banks of rivers or seas have dikes with a narrow width or are directly connected to water bodies without any protection. So prone to rob or sea waves. The concept of silvofishery that grows mangroves in ponds or bunds, in reality the results are less than optimal for cultivation and coastal protection. Due to the decline in water quality and the mangroves are too dense without treatment. The AMA system, in principle, is to widen embankments bordering rivers or the sea. “This is a means of growing mangroves for green belts. For example, a pond with a width of less than 30 meters from the edge of a river or sea stream, it is recommended that the entire pond as a green belt. If it is above 30 meters, then build a 10 meters green belt. The trick is to reverse the embankment of the pond by gradually making new embankments. In this way, mangroves will usually grow along with the formation of sediments. Then the next new embankment was built. The AMA principle states that mangroves are not located or planted in embankments or in pond yards. The old concept, silvofishery, where the beach and pond embankments are not protected,” she said.

Project Manager and Researcher at The Chair Group Aquaculture and Fisheries (AFI) 2001 – 2019, Dr. Roel H Bosma explained that many countries ignore this mangrove forest. Along the coast of Java, the destruction of mangrove forests has caused the loss of settlements, infrastructure and hundreds of hectares of ponds. For this reason, it is necessary to protect the remaining mangrove forests. “Reduce the use of ground water, increase community human resources through training, replace ponds with mangroves,” he said.