Water Quality and Trophic Status to Estimate Fish Production Potential for Sustainable Fisheries in Lake Poso, Central Sulawesi

Abstract

Lake Poso is a tectonic lake and the third largest of the lake in Indonesia, and is a potential area for endemic fish resources and tropical eels, disturbance to ecosystem balance in the form of habitat destruction and unfriendly fishing techniques will affect the existence of these resources. This study aimed to determine and evaluate the current condition of water quality, trophic status, and potential for fish production in Lake Poso. Observations were conducted in 2021 in five stations with random purposive methods sampling. The observed main parameters were water quality such as depth, transparency, temperature, conductivity, pH, dissolved oxygen, alkalinity, hardness, phosphate, nitrate, ammonia, and chlorophyll-a. The results showed that the characteristics of the water quality parameters and trophic status index, classified as waters were good for the life of fish and other organisms. The productivity rate of the lake waters seen from the value of the trophic status index was 46.18 which classified the waters at a mesotrophic level. The potential for fish production was low with numbers ranging from 2445-2605 tons/year and an average of 2545 tons/year. Finally, to maintain aquatic biological resources and sustainable fisheries in Lake Poso are needed (a) maintaining the value trophic state index in condition oligotrophic and mesotrophic, (b) protecting the habitat around the lake by maintaining the optimal vegetation limits, (c) maintaining the aquaculture activities so it no growth up and water condition keep stable and (d) maintaining the capture endemic fish species with traditional fishing gear methods.