Biological Base of Skipjack as the Foundation for Sustainable Fisheries Management in the North Maluku Province

Abstract

Skipjacks in the western and southern waters of North Maluku Province were caught using pole and line with FADs. Skipjack usually swims near the surface water and tends to be classified as a juvenile skipjack that caught during fishing activities. The study objective was to analyze biological data of skipjack including length weight relationship, growth, length at first maturity/lm and catch size, size composition and gonad maturity. Skipjack samples were caught in the waters of the western (zone A) and southern (zone b) areas of North Maluku Province, from April 2012 until May 2013. The sudy results show the value bof skipjack caught around FADs at zone A and B were similar as b=3. This indicates that the growth of skipjack in both areas was categorized as in isometric pattern. L∞ of skipjack caught at zone A was 75 cm at the age of 56 months and at zone B was 76 cm at the age of 56 months. Lm value skipjack caught in zone A and zone B was obtained by 43 cm, with a range of long-forked skipjack caught in zone A from 26.0 to 72.0 cm, and at zone B from 26-to 71 cm , The gonad maturity at zone A and B, was obtained in the similar stages as maturity stages I, II, III,IV, and V. TKG V of the skipjack caught around FADs zone A is found in March and B in July, so it can be presumed skipjack in two zones throughout the year with peak spawning occurs in March for zone A and B in July. ABSTRAKPenangkapan cakalang di perairan barat dan selatan Provinsi Maluku Utara dilakukan dengan menggunakan huhate (pole and line) dengan alat bantu rumpon. Cakalang yang berkumpul di lapisan permukaan air cenderung tergolong ikan-ikan yang berumur muda yang tertangkap saat aktivitas penangkapan. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk menganalis data biologis cakalang yaitu: hubungan panjang berat, pertumbuhan, ukuran panjang pertama kali matang gonad dan layak tangkap, komposisi ukuran, dan tingkat kematangan gonad. Sampel cakalang dikumpulkan dari perairan barat (zona A) dan selatan (zona B) Provinsi Maluku Utara, yang dilakukan dari April 2012 sampai Mei 2013. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan nilai b=3 untuk cakalang yang tertangkap di sekitar rumpon zona A dan B. Hal ini menunjukkan bahwa pertumbuhan cakalang dikedua zona tersebut berpola isometrik. Nilai L ∞ cakalang yang tertangkap zona A dapat mencapai 75 cm pada umur 56 bulan dan di zona B mencapai 76 cm pada umur 56 bulan.Nilai L m cakalang yang tertangkap di zona A dan zona B diperoleh sebesar 43 cm, dengan kisaran panjang cagak cakalang yang tertangkap di zona A berkisar antara 26,0-72,0 cm, dan di zona B berkisar antara 26-71 cm. Tingkat kematangan gonad cakalang yang tertangkap di zona A dan zona B, diperoleh beberapa tingkat kematangan gonad yaitu TKG I, TKG II, TKG III, TKG IV, dan TKG V. TKG V dari cakalang yang tertangkap di sekitar rumpon zona A ditemukan pada bulan Maret dan B pada bulan Juli, sehingga dapat diduga cakalang di kedua zona memijah sepanjang tahun dengan puncak terjadi pada bulan Maret untuk zona A dan Juli zona B.