DEGORONTALO – Last July, Paddakauang Environmental Awareness Community (KSL) of Pohuwato district, Gorontalo province, conducted a training for local fishermen, particularly on coral reef fish farming.
Members of two villages, Torosiaje Jaya and Bumi Bahari, were divided into five groups. Each groups comprise of five men who were given 100 fish seeds by KSL.

There are few reason why local NGO set up for floating-net-fish-farming method. Umar Pasandre, chairman of Paddakauang KSL said that the system served as a solution to increase people’s welfare without destroying the environment, especially mangrove ecosystem in the villages.

“We do not want to sacrifice our grandchildren [by] converted Pohuwato mangrove to become fishponds to increase income,” said Umar. Massive destructions are seen in Pohuwato mangrove (tangalo) due to the land converted into fishponds owned by a small part of people.

In addition, Tanjung Panjang Nature Reserve, designated by Forestry Ministry Decision No 573/Kpts-II/1995, on October 30, 1965, had also converted into fishponds.

Heat from the sun burned the skin if you travelled from Marisa district to Torosiaje district which is the main tourist village in Pohuwato. After two hours ride, you will pass Tanjung Panjang Nature Reserve and you can see its damages, especially mangroves located in Randangan and Wonggarasi districts.

However, in Torosiaje, its mangrove ecosystem still seemed intact even grows in the backyard of local villagers. It is also the reason for Umar and local residents to protect the mangrove forest. They do not want mangroves to be turned into fishponds for economic reasons while net-floating-fish-farming can become one of the solution.

“Mangrove seeds fall and will be carried into the water to the fishnets. It will be consumed by fish seeds after they are destroyed by crabs,” he said.

Furthermore, Umar said that this food chain cycle worked naturally. This is also the reason for developing the system after earned a small grant from Mangrove for the Future (MfF) to rehabilitate tangelo and increase income. Mangroves are not also serve as shelter from the west wind but locals have used it for food, such as pia, stik, and dodol.

Recently, Torosiaje Laut, Torosiaje Jaya and Bumi Bahari villagers planted mangroves in September, conducted by 27 people with 3,000 seeds in the Tambo’s coastal areas. RIVOL PAINO

The article has been published at http://degorontalo.co/ingin-sejahtera-berhentilah-tebang-mangrove/, a member of Ekuatorial content syndication.

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