Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

BIO-PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS AND THEIR POTENTIAL EFFECT ON FISHERIES BIODIVERSITY (CASE STUDY IN PALABUHAN RATU, SUKABUMI WEST JAVA PROVINCE), INDONESIA

Atikah Nurhayati and Titin Herawati

Abstract

Every coastal region has unique biodiversity, which differs from other regions, depending on its bioecoregion setting. Coastal region of Palabuhan Ratu of the Sukabumi District, which lies on the South Java Coast is not an exception. Natural resources, including those of capture fishery, in this coastal region has species and ecosystem characteristics that depend the surrounding oceanographic condition. Moreover, aquatic species and ecosystem characteristics as well as other relevant factors have the influence on practices and performance, which in turns will impact biodiversity. Based on such a premise, this research aims at analyzing the relationship between biophysical and social environment and its potential influence on biodiversity. Data used in this research are primary and secondary data while the analytical approach is qualitative descriptive. From the research, it was found that the biophysical and social environment that exist in Palabuhan Ratu has enabled capture fishery practices that in line with sustainability principles from ecological, technological, economic, aspects and is found to be able to minimize resource degradation. With such fishery practices, this research found an indication that biodiversity is successfully maintained.