Spiny lobster

Spiny lobsters, also known as langouste or rock lobsters are a family (Palinuridae) of about 45 species of achelate crustaceans, in the Decapoda Reptantia. Spiny lobsters are also called crayfish, sea crayfish or crawfish. Like true lobsters, spiny lobsters are edible and are an economically significant food source; they are the biggest food export of the Bahamas.

The largest spiny lobster on record was over 1 m (3 ft) long and weighed over 11.8 kg (26 lb)

Spiny lobsters are found in almost all warm seas, including the Caribbean and the Mediterranean Sea, but are particularly common in Australasia, where they are referred to commonly as crayfish or sea crayfish (Jasus novaehollandiae and Jasus edwardsii), and South Africa (Jasus lalandii). A new species, Palinurus barbarae was described in 2006.

Spiny lobsters tend to live in crevices of rocks and coral reefs, only occasionally venturing out at night to seek snails, clams, crabs, sea urchins or carrion to eat. Sometimes, they migrate en masse, in long files of lobsters across the sea floor. Potential predators may be deterred from eating spiny lobsters by a loud screech made by the antennae of the spiny lobsters rubbing against a smooth part of the exoskeleton. Spiny lobsters usually exhibit social habit by being together. However recent studies indicate that healthy lobsters move away from infected ones leaving the diseased lobsters to fend for themselves.

from http://en.wikipedia.org

Bigeye tuna

The bigeye tuna, Thunnus obesus, is an important food fish and highly sought after recreational game fish. It is a member of the true tunas of the genus Thunnus, belonging to the wider mackerel family Scombridae.

Bigeye tuna are found in the open waters of all tropical and temperate oceans, but not the Mediterranean Sea. Its length is between 60 and 250 cm (23 and 93 inches). Maximum weight probably exceeds 400 lb with the all-tackle angling record standing at 392 lbs.

A longer-lived fish than the closely related yellowfin tuna, the bigeye tuna is thought to have a lifespan of up to 10 to 12 years, with individuals achieving sexual maturity at the age of four. Spawning has been recorded as taking place in June and July in the northwestern tropical Atlantic and in January and February in the Gulf of Guinea in the eastern Atlantic, which is, so far, the only known nursery area for Atlantic bigeye tuna.

Bigeye tuna are large deep-bodied streamlined fish with large heads and eyes. The pectoral finsdorsal fin. There are 13 or 14 dorsal spines. are very long, reaching back as far as the second

Body colour is dark metallic blue on the back with a grey-white belly and an iridescent blue band running along each flank. The dorsal and anal fins are yellow.

Bigeye tuna feed on a wide variety of fishes; cephalopods, mostly various squid species; and crustaceans during the day and at night. Feed items include both epipelagic and mesopelagic species, with deep diving behaviour during the day thought to be related to the seeking of prey.

Satellite tagging has shown that bigeye tuna often spend prolonged periods cruising deep below the surface during the daytime, sometimes making dives of deep as 500 metres. These movements are thought to be in response to the vertical migrations of prey organisms in the deep scattering layer. Physiological adaptations to foraging in these cold (bigeye tuna have been tracked entering water as cold as 5 degrees Celsius) and oxygen-poor subsurface waters include blood that is highly efficient in extracting oxygen from the water even in oxygen-poor conditions, and vision that is highly adapted for effective function in low light conditions. The heart of bigeye tuna also has an unusual ability to function effectively at the low ambient temperatures encountered while foraging in cold subsurface water. Nonetheless, bigeye tuna must make return trips to warmer surface waters to warm themselves up.

from http://en.wikipedia.org

Red snapper

The red snapper, Lutjanus campechanus, is a reef fish found off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of The Americas and the Gulf of Mexico. The original name in Latin American Spanish is Huachinango or Pargo.

The red snapper commonly inhabits waters from 30 to 200 ft (10 to 60 m), but can be caught as deep as 300 ft (100 m) or more on occasion. They stay relatively close to the bottom, and inhabit rocky bottom, ledges, ridges, and artificial reefs, including offshore oil rigs and shipwrecks.

The red snapper's body is very similar in shape to other snappers, such as the mangrove snapper, mutton snapper, lane snapper, and dog snapper. All feature a sloped profile, medium-to-large scales, a spiny dorsal fin and a laterally compressed body. Red snappers have short, sharp, needle-like teeth, however they lack the prominent upper canine teeth found on the mutton, dog, and mangrove snappers.

Coloration of the red snapper is light red, with more intense pigment on the back. Juvenile fish can also have a dark spot on their side which fades with age.

Like most other snappers, red snappers are gregarious and will form large schools around wrecks and reefs. These schools are usually made up of fish of very similar size.

Red snapper are a prized food fish and are caught commercially, as well as recreationally. Commercially, they are caught on multi-hook gear with electric reels, as gill netting has been banned in the Gulf of Mexico, from which most of the commercial harvest comes. Snapper constitute a major industry in the Gulf of Mexico, however recent changes in the quota system for commercial Snapper fishermen in the Gulf have made the fish less commercially viable. ^[1]

Genetic studies have shown, however, that many fish sold as red snapper in the USA are not actually L. campechanus, but other species in the family.^[2][3] This kind of seafood mislabeling is probably common with species that suffer from heavy overfishing, and whose stocks are depleted to the point that supply cannot keep up with demand.

Juvenile red snapper have been released on artificial reef habitats off the coast of Sarasota, FL to conduct investigations into the use of hatchery reared juveniles to supplement native populations in the Gulf of Mexico.^[4]

Red snapper will eat almost anything, but prefer small fish and crustaceans. They can be caught on live bait as well as cut bait, and will also take artificial lures, but with less vigor. They are commonly caught up to 10 lb (4.5 kg) and 20 inches (50 cm) in length, however there have been fish taken over 40 lb (18 kg).

A red snapper attains sexual maturity at age 2-5 and an adult snapper can live for more than 20 years.

The vibrant red color of these fish comes from high levels of carotenoid pigments, largely astaxanthin, coming from shrimp in their natural diet.

from http://en.wikipedia.org/

Yellowfin tuna

The yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares), is a type of tuna. It is found in open waters of tropicalseas worldwide. It is an epipelagic fish ranging in the top 100 m (330 feet) of the water column. Reported sizes have ranged as high as 239 cm (94 inches) in length and 200 kg (440 lb) in weight. Also known as ahi tuna, from its Hawaiian name ʻahi, yellowfin is becoming a popular replacement for the severely depleted supplies of bluefin tuna. and subtropical

The second dorsal fin and the anal fin are both bright yellow, thus the common name, and can be very long in mature specimens, as are the pectoral fins. The main body is very dark metallic blue, changing to silver on the belly, which has about 20 vertical lines.

Yellowfins tend to school with fishes of the same size, including other species of tuna, and larger fish are often seen with dolphins, porpoises, whales and whale sharks. Yellowfins eat other fish, crustaceans, and squid.

from http://en.wikipedia.org/

Squid

Squid are marine cephalopods of the order Teuthida, which comprises around 300 species. Like all other cephalopods, squid have a distinct head, bilateral symmetry, a mantle, and arms. Squid, like cuttlefish, have eight arms and two tentacles arranged in pairs.

The majority of squid are no more than 60 cm long, although the giant squid may reach 13 m in length. In 2003, a large specimen of an abundant but poorly understood species, Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni (the Colossal Squid), was discovered. This species may grow to 14 m in length, making it the largest invertebrate.^[5] It also possesses the largest eyes in the animal kingdom. Giant squid are often featured in literature and folklore with a frightening connotation. The Kraken is a legendary tentacled monster possibly based on sightings of real giant squid.

In February 2007, a Colossal Squid weighing 495 kg (1,091 lb) and measuring around 10 metres (33 ft) in length was caught by a New Zealand fishing vessel off the coast of Antarctica.

Many species of squid are popular as food in cuisines as diverse as Korean and Italian.

In English-speaking countries, squid as food is often known by the Mediterranean (Spanish and Italian) word calamari.

Individual species of squid are found abundantly in certain areas, and provide large catches for fisheries.

The body of squid can be stuffed whole, cut into flat pieces or sliced into rings. The arms, tentacles and ink are also edible; in fact, the only parts of the squid that are not eaten are its beak and gladius (pen).

from http://en.wikipedia.org

Octopus

The octopus (pronounced /ˈɒktəpəs/, from Greek Ὀκτώπους, 'eight-footed',^[1] with plural forms: octopuses [ˈɒktəpʊsɪz], octopi [ˈɒktəpaɪ], or octopodes [ˌɒkˈtəʊpədiːz], see below) is a cephalopod of the order Octopoda that inhabits many diverse regions of the ocean, especially coral reefs. The term may also refer to only those creatures in the genus Octopus. In the larger sense, there are around 300 recognized octopus species, which is over one-third of the total number of known cephalopod species.

Octopuses are characterized by their eight arms (as distinct from the tentacles found in squidcuttlefish), usually bearing suction cups. These arms are a type of muscular hydrostat. Unlike most other cephalopods, the majority of octopuses — those in the suborder most commonly known, Incirrina — have almost entirely soft bodies with no internal skeleton. They have neither a protective outer shell like the nautilus, nor any vestige of an internal shell or bones, like cuttlefish or squid. A beak, similar in shape to a parrot's beak, is the only hard part of their body. This enables them to squeeze through very narrow slits between underwater rocks, which is very helpful when they are fleeing from morays or other predatory fish. The octopuses in the less familiar Cirrina suborder have two fins and an internal shell, generally reducing their ability to squeeze into small spaces. and

Octopuses have a relatively short life expectancy, and some species live for as little as six months. Larger species, such as the North Pacific Giant Octopus, may live for up to five years under suitable circumstances. However, reproduction is a cause of death: males can only live for a few months after mating, and females die shortly after their eggs hatch. They neglect to eat during the (roughly) one month period spent taking care of their unhatched eggs, but they don't die of starvation. Endocrine secretions from the two optic glands are the cause of genetically-programmed death (and if these glands are surgically removed, the octopus may live many months beyond reproduction, until she finally starves).

Octopuses have three hearts. Two pump blood through each of the two gills, while the third pumps blood through the body. Octopus blood contains the copper-rich protein hemocyanin for transporting oxygen. Although less efficient under normal conditions than the iron-rich hemoglobin of vertebrates, in cold conditions with low oxygen pressure, hemocyanin oxygen transportation is more efficient than hemoglobin oxygen transportation. The hemocyanin is dissolved in the plasma instead of being bound in red blood cells and gives the blood a blue color. Octopuses draw water into their mantle cavity where it passes through its gills. As mollusks, octopuses have gills that are finely divided and vascularized outgrowths of either the outer or the inner body surface.

from http://en.wikipedia.org

Cuttlefish

Cuttlefish are marine animals of the order Sepiida belonging to the Cephalopoda class (which also includes squid, octopuses, and nautiluses). Despite their common name, cuttlefish are not fish but molluscs. Recent studies indicate that cuttlefish are among the most intelligent invertebrate species.^[1]

Cuttlefish have an internal shell (cuttlebone), large W-shaped pupils, and eight arms and two tentacles furnished with denticulated suckers, with which they secure their prey.

Cuttlefish eat small molluscs, crabs, shrimp, fish and other cuttlefish. Their predators include dolphins, sharks, fish, seals and other cuttlefish. Their life expectancy is about one to two years.

from http://en.wikipedia.org

Portunus pelagicus

Portunus pelagicus, also known as the flower crab, blue crab, blue swimmer crab, blue manna crab or sand crab, is a large crab found in the intertidal estuaries of the Indian and Pacific OceansMiddle-Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The name "flower crab" is used in east Asian countries while the latter names are used in Australia. The crabs are widely distributed in eastern Africa, Southeast Asia, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. (Asian coasts) and the

The males are bright blue in colour with white spots and with characteristically long chelipeds, while the females have a duller green/brown, with a more rounded carapace. The carapace can be up to 20 cm in width.

They stay buried under sand or mud most of the time, particularly during the daytime and winter, which may explain their high tolerance to NH₄⁺ and NH₃ ^[1]. They come out to feed during high tide on various organsims such as bivalves, fish and, to a lesser extent, macroalgae. They are excellent swimmers, largely due to a pair of flattened legs that resemble paddles. However, in contrast to another portunid crab (Scylla serrata), they cannot survive for long periods out of the water.

The species is commercially important throughout the Indo-Pacific where they may be sold as traditional hard shells, or as "soft shelled" crabs, which are considered a delicacy throughout Asia. The species is highly prized as the meat is almost as sweet as the blue crab, although P. pelagicus is physically much larger.

These characteristics, along with their fast growth, ease of larviculture, high fecundity and relatively high tolerance to both nitrate ^{[2] [3]} and ammonia ^[1], (particularly NH₃-N, which is typically more toxic than NH₄⁺, as it can more easily diffuse across the gill membranes), makes this species ideal for aquaculture.

P. pelagicus is not strictly marine as it commonly enters estuaries for food and shelter. Furthermore, its life cycle is dependent on estuaries as the larvae and early juveniles use these habitats for growth and development. Prior to hatching, the female moves into shallow marine habitats, releases her eggs and the newly hatched Zoea I larvae move into estuaries. During this time they feed on microscopic plankton and progress from the Zoea I stage to the Zoea IV stage (approximately 8 days) and then to the final larval stage of megalopa (duration of 4-6 days). This larval stage is characterised by having large chelipeds used to catch prey. Once the megalopa metamorphoses to the crab stage they continue to spend time in estuaries which provides a suitable habitat for shelter and food. However, evidence has shown that early juveniles cannot tolerate low salinities for extended periods, which is likely due to its weak hyper-osmoregulatory abilities ^[4]. This may explain their mass emigration from estuaries to seawater during the rainy season.

from http://en.wikipedia.org

Albacore (Thunnus alalunga)

The albacore (Thunnus alalunga) is a type of tuna in the family Scombridae. This species may also be called albacore fish, albacore tuna, longfin, albies, pigfish, tombo ahi, binnaga, Pacific albacore, German bonito (but see bonito), longfin tuna, longfin tunny, or even just tuna. It is the only tuna species which may be marketed as "white meat tuna" in the United States.

It is found in the open waters of all tropical and temperate oceans, and the Mediterranean Sea. Lengths range up to 140 cm (55 inches) and weights up to 60 kg (132 lbs).

Albacore is a prized food, and albacore fishery is economically significant. Methods of fishing include pole and line, long-line fishing, trolling, and some purse seining. It is also sought after by sport fishers.

The pectoral fins of the albacore are very long, as much as 30% of the total length. The dorsal spines are 11 to 14 in number, and well forward of the rays of the dorsal fin. The anterior spines are much longer, giving a concave outline to the spiny part of the dorsal fin.

from http://en.wikipedia.org

Skipjack Tuna - Katsuwonus pelamis

The skipjack tuna, Katsuwonus pelamis, is a medium-sized perciformtuna family, Scombridae. It is otherwise known as the aku, arctic bonito, mushmouth, oceanic bonito, striped tuna, or victor fish. It grows up to 1 m (3.3 feet) in length. fish in the

It is a streamlined, fast-swimming pelagic fish, common in tropical waters throughout the world, where it inhabits surface waters in large shoals (up to 50,000 fish), feeding on fish, crustaceans, cephalopods and mollusks. It is an important prey species for large pelagic fishes and sharks.

It is an important commercial and game fish, usually caught using purse seine nets, and is sold fresh, frozen, canned, dried, salted, and smoked.

The skipjack is a kosher fish as it has scales.

Although the most fecund of the main commercial tunas, the commonest method for catching tuna which involves drawing a large net under an artificial fish aggregation device, is still regarded as highly ecologically damaging because of the high bycatch, including turtles, sharks and juveniles of other tuna species.^{[citation needed]}

In Japanese cuisine, skipjack tuna is known as katsuo, and is commonly smoked and dried to make katsuoboshi, an important ingredient in making dashi (fish stock). Skipjack tuna is also used in katsuo no shiokara. Katsuo is considered to have "moderate" mercury contamination, however, and pregnant women are advised against eating large quantities.

from http://en.wikipedia.org

Harga Rumput Laut Rp.23 Ribu / Kg

Harga rumput laut di pasaran Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT), saat ini mencapai harga tertinggi yakni berada di antara Rp21.000-23.000 ribu/kg dari biasanya Rp4.000-6.000 ribu/kg.

"Ini harga paling tinggi yang kami jual, apalagi pada masa panen seperti saat ini, di mana ketersediaan komoditas itu dalam jumlah besar sangat berpengaruh pada harga jual di pasaran," kata Gerson, petani rumput laut di Kupang, Kamis.

Senada juga dikatakan Hendrik Adoe, petani rumput lain Kupang lainnya bahwa harga rumput laut di pasaran saat ini sangat tinggi jika dibanding harga pada dua bulan sebelumnya, yang hanya berkisar antara Rp5-6 ribu/kg, bahkan pada musim panen turun hingga Rp4.000/kg.

Gerson dan Hendrik yang ditemui di salah satu bank ketika hendak menabung uang mengaku, merasa belum percaya karena bisa membawa uang puluhan juta untuk disimpan ke bank.

Uang tersebut merupakan hasil penjualan rumput laut yang baru di panen dari para pembeli yang datang dari Surabaya.

"Setiap kali panen biasanya kami memperoleh keuntungan paling tinggi sepuluh juta dan paling renda Rp3-5 juta. Tahun ini kami seperti ketiban rezeki karena hampir semua petani yang memelihara rumput laut memperoleh keuntungan puluhan juta," katanya.

Bahkan ada kelompok pembudidaya rumput laut yang memperoleh keuntungan lebih dari Rp100 juta. "Kami tidak pernah menyangka," kata Gerson yang mengaku memiliki usaha rumput laut di Kupang barat, sekitar 35 km arah barat Kota Kupang.

Keduanya berjanji, akan meningkatkan areal usaha rumput laut agar ke depan bisa memperoleh keuntungan lebih besar dari saat ini.

Hanya saja, mereka meminta agar pemerintah dapat mengendalikan harga komoditi ini agar harga yang ada bisa dipertahankan. Kalaupun turun karena pengaruh pasar luar negeri jangan sampai kembali ke harga seperti dulu.

from http://www.kapanlagi.com

Seaweed (Rumput Laut)

Rumput laut adalah salah satu sumberdaya hayati yang terdapat di wilayah pesisir dan laut. Dalam bahasa Inggris, rumput laut diartikan sebagai seaweed. Sumberdaya ini biasanya dapat ditemui di perairan yang berasosiasi dengan keberadaan ekosistem terumbu karang. Rumput laut alam biasanya dapat hidup di atas substrat pasir dan karang mati. Beberapa daerah pantai di bagian selatan Jawa dan pantai barat Sumatera, rumput laut banyak ditemui hidup di atas karang-karang terjal yang melindungi pantai dari deburan ombak. Di pantai selatan Jawa Barat dan Banten misalnya, rumput laut dapat ditemui di sekitar pantai Santolo dan Sayang Heulang di Kabupaten Garut atau di daerah Ujung Kulon Kabupaten Pandeglang. Sementara di daerah pantai barat Sumatera, rumput laut dapat ditemui di pesisir barat Provinsi Lampung sampai pesisir Sumatera Utara dan Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam.

Selain hidup bebas di alam, beberapa jenis rumput laut juga banyak dibudidayakan oleh sebagian masyarakat pesisir Indonesia. Contoh jenis rumput laut yang banyak dibudidayakan diantaranya adalah Euchema cottonii dan Gracelaria sp. Beberapa daerah dan pulau di Indonesia yang masyarakat pesisirnya banyak melakukan usaha budidaya rumput laut ini diantaranya berada di wilayah pesisir Kabupaten Administrasi Kepulauan Seribu, ProvinsiKepulauan Riau, Pulau Lombok, Sulawesi, Maluku dan Papua.

from http://id.wikipedia.org

Bisnis Rumput Laut di Sulawesi Selatan

Pengembangan rumput laut di wilayah pesisir Sulsel cukup menjanjikan. Wajar jika pemerintah menangkap peluang ini dengan mengajak masyarakat memanfaatkannya secara maksimal.

Walau begitu, fenomena yang cukup menggembirakan ini tidak boleh melenakan kita semua. Saatnya dilakukan kontrol dan upaya antisipasi menghadapi kemungkinan anjloknya harga rumput laut di masa yang akan datang.

Dewasa ini, perkembangan rumput laut Indonesia terus mengalami peningkatan seiring dengan banyaknya permintaan akan rumput laut dunia. Pasalnya, rumput laut merupakan salah satu komoditi hasil laut yang penting, dan di tanah air menjadi salah satu komoditas yang banyak disukai masyarakat.

Itu karena selain cara pemeliharaannya praktis, juga harganya cukup menjanjikan. Bahkan menjadi penghasil devisa negara dengan nilai ekspor yang terus meningkat setiap tahunnya.

Khusus di Sulawesi Selatan yang memiliki garis pantai kurang lebih 2.500 km dan luas areal pertambakan juga kurang lebih 58.000 hektare, potensi untuk pengembangan budidaya rumput laut di daerah ini cukup prospek.

Apalagi dengan adanya kemudahan yang didapatkan masyarakat dari pemerintah. Tidak heran jika dalam jangka waktu yang tidak terlalu lama, budidaya rumput laut yang ada di Sulsel cukup untuk meningkatkan volume ekspor. Bahkan boleh dikata jumlahnya terus mengalami peningkatan.

Namun, sebelum terlalu jauh membicarakan masalah rumput laut yang saat ini dikembangkan di Sulsel dan menjadi salah satu komoditi andalan, perlu diketahui bahwa rumput laut itu bukan hanya satu atau dua macam, tapi melainkan ada beberapa macam.

Akan tetapi, yang masuk dalam kategori memiliki nilai ekonomis hanya beberapa jenis yaitu antara lain Euchema cottoni dan Euchema spinosum yang tempat hidupnya di laut. Sedangkan yang hidup di tambak adalah Gracilaria, meski yang lainnya seperti Gelidium dan Hypena juga cukup baik untuk budidaya.

Namun, yang paling banyak dibudidayakan adalah Gracilaria dan Euchema cottoni. Walaupun masih banyak jenis yang memiliki nilai ekonomis yang tinggi, tapi tidak seluruhnya berada di perairan Indonesia, melainkan di negara lain sehingga yang telanjur atau kebanyakan masyarakat mengenalnya hanya dua jenis rumput laut, yaitu Gracilaria dan Euchema cottoni.

Meski tidak disangkal bahwa jenis Gracilaria yang ditanam di tambak khususnya di Palopo tergolong yang paling baik mutunya, namun belakangan kualitasnya menurun sehingga harganya juga turun. Sedangkan khusus Euchema cottoni yang hidup di laut memiliki prospek yang sangat bagus.

Betapa tidak, jika jenis ini hampir seluruh masyarakat yang berdomisili di pesisir pantai, melakukan kegiatan budidaya. Seperti halnya di Kabupaten Takalar, Jeneponto, Bantaeng, Pangkep, Barru dan lainnya.

Tidak salah jika produksi rumput laut di Sulsel mengalami peningkatan yang cukup �tajam�. Khusus produksi rumput laut di Sulsel, kini sudah mencapai 75 ribu ton per tahunnya dengan nilai ekspor di atas 13 ribu ton tiap tahun. Untuk 2008 ini, Dinas Kelautan dan Perikanan Sulsel mematok produksi rumput laut naik 21 persen atau 90 ribu ton (Fajar, 22 Mei 2008).

Melihat kenyataan yang terjadi di lapangan, memang patut kita acungkan jempol karena masyarakat yang membudidayakan rumput laut tersebut secara sepintas penghasilannya mulai ada perubahan, sehingga budidaya ini cocok untuk diterapkan.

Terbukti, masyarakat sudah mulai ada peningkatan kesejahteraan yang dialaminya karena selain kebutuhan rumah tangganya (keluarganya) tercukupi, juga sudah bisa mengalihkan sebagian hasilnya dengan melakukan investasi di tempat lain.

Ini membuktikan bahwa rumput laut sudah dapat mengubah pola hidupnya, meski tidak langsung berubah secara drastis, tapi perlahan dan seiring dengan berputarnya waktu.

Berdasarkan pengamatan penulis di lapangan, di mana para pembudidaya rumput laut terkadang kurang memperhatikan mutu atau kualitas dari pada rumput laut tersebut, sehingga tidak heran jika ada beberapa rumput laut yang dihasilkan mutunya di bawah standar.

Ini terjadi lantaran masyarakat kurang kepedulian dan ada kesan bahwa hanya ingin mengejar kecepatan dalam produksi (panen), tapi tidak memperhitungkan mutu atau jangka waktu budidaya yang sesungguhnya.

Misalnya, rumput laut yang ditanam tersebut belum sampai waktunya untuk dipanen, tapi mereka sudah memanennya karena hanya mengejar profit, sehingga kandungan atau kadarnya kurang baik tapi tetap mereka melakukan panen tanpa bisa menunggu batas waktu yang ditentukan. Apalagi harga rumput laut tergolong cukup �menggila�.

Bisa dibayangkan, rumput laut jenis Euchema cottoni yang dibudiayakan di laut harganya mencapai Rp 11.000-12.000 per kilogramnya, sehingga ini yang membuat masyarakat tergiur oleh harga yang melambung tinggi itu.

Sedangkan jenis Gracilaria yang dibudidayakan di dalam tambak, harganya tidak terlalu bagus, bahkan hanya mencapai Rp 3.500 - 5.000 per kg sehingga masyarakat kurang ingin melakukan budidaya tersebut.

Akan tetapi, Euchema cottoni yang lagi naik daun harganya, maka masyarakat berlomba-lomba membudidayakannya, sehingga tidak heran jika pesisir pantai (laut) telah dikapling-kapling oleh masyarakat demi untuk mencari tempat budidaya. Karena selain cara tanamnya tergolong mudah, harganya cukup menggiurkan.

Akibat pengkaplingan laut ini nyaris menimbulkan adu jotos sesama masyarakat, karena ada juga masyarakat yang tidak peduli dengan harga yang tinggi itu, melainkan hanya mengandalkan hasil penangkapan ikan di laut, sehingga tempat atau tambatan perahunya nyaris tidak ada.

Melihat harga rumput laut tersebut yang cukup fantastis itu, maka tidak menutup kemungkinan dapat menimbulkan �musibah� lantaran harganya bisa jatuh atau anjlok.

Persoalannya, kalau kita melihat pengalaman yang terjadi di negeri ini, di mana tanaman yang pernah �menyulap� masyarakat menjadi kaya seperti harga cengkeh, vanili, coklat dan merica (lada) yang pernah mengalami harga yang cukup tinggi. Bayangkan saja, jika vanili di Sinjai pernah mencapai harga Rp 250.000 per kg, namun sekarang hanya bisa dihargai sebesar Rp 15.000 per kg.

Ini merupakan pukulan yang berat bagi petani. Dengan adanya kenyataan itu, maka rumput laut sekarang yang lagi naik daun juga bisa saja mengalami hal yang sama, bila produksi di dunia mengalami peningkatan dan melebihi kapasitas.

Apalagi negara Chili merupakan saingan berat dan penghasil rumput laut terbesar di dunia dan memiliki mutu dan kualitas yang tinggi, sehingga harus bersaing jika Indonesia juga akan mengespor rumput lautnya. Meski sekarang ini rumput laut Indonesia sudah memasuki pasar dunia, namun harus menjaga mutu sesuai dengan standar internasional yang berlaku.

Olehnya itu, adanya kebijakan pemertintah dalam hal ini Dinas Perikanan dan Kelautan Sulsel untuk mengajak masyarakat dalam rangka membudidayakan rumput laut jenis Cottoni ini merupakan hal yang bagus, namun bila seluruh masyarakat yang ada di pesisisr pantai juga melakukannya, maka blooming rumput laut bisa saja terjadi yang berakibat fatal pada masyarakat itu sendiri.

Pasalnya, bila harga rumput laut tiba-tiba jatuh, maka sudah pasti bahwa masyarakat petani rumput laut secara otomatis akan berpaling lagi dan serta-merta meninggalkan pekerjaan tersebut. Bahkan hal seperti bisa menimbulkan stres yang berujung pada penyesalan berkepanjangan jika pemerintah tidak segera melakukan langkah-langkah konkret.

Apalagi masyarakat kita yang sebagian memiliki moral kurang bagus karena mereka tergolong orang yang belum bisa mengendalikan emosinya, misalnya saja melihat orang lain melakukan budidaya dan berhasil, maka tanpa ada perintah mereka berlomba melakukan hal yang sama,

sehingga dalam waktu tidak terlalu lama akan terjadi produksi yang melimpah dan ini bisa mempengaruhi harga bisa anjlok akibat tidak adanya pasar yang bisa menampung. Mengantisipasi kenyataan ini, maka langkah bagi penentu kebijakan dalam mengantisipasi sedini mungkin hal-hal yang dapat menyengsarakan petani rumput laut di daerah ini,

karena kebiasaannya bila harga telanjur jatuh, maka tidak bisa lagi dipulihkan atau dikembalikan, sehingga masyarakat juga yang megalami kerugian, baik materil maupun tenaga. Di sinilah tantangan yang berat bagi penentu kebijakan dalam memberdayakan masyarakat ke arah yang lebih baik.

Meski niatnya yang bagus, namun bila itu semua yang dikerjakan orang maka suatu saat hasil produksi akan berlimpah dan ini bisa membawa �malapetaka� bagi masyarakat itu sendiri. Oleh karena itu, langkah-langkah atau jurus-jurus strategis harus dicarikan sebelum harga rumput laut yang sekarang ini mencapai Rp 12.000 per kg jatuh seperti beberapa komoditi sebelumnya.

Ini merupakan sebuah tantangan yang harus diperangi mengingat gejolak perekonomian yang kian tidak menentu, sehingga bisa menimbulkan berbagai persoalan baru bila hal itu terjadi. Semoga apa yang didambakan petani rumput laut di daerah ini dapat terwujud.

Penulis : Andi Baso Tancung (Ketua Umum Ikatan Penulis Indonesia Makassar (IPIM) Sulsel)
from www.fajar.co.id

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