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Aquaculture in Singkarak Lake
Tilapia fish farming on a large scale in the Lake Singkarak located in the district of Solok and Tanah Datar, West Sumatra, will soon be done.
However, among fisheries experts oppose the plan because they will expect pollution that causes the death of thousands of tons of tilapia and carp. Similar events happened repeatedly in Lake Maninjau, Agam Regency, West Sumatra.
Head of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Yosmeri West Sumatra, on Thursday (05/19/2011), said the culture of tilapia in Lake Batur will begin next two months. For the initial stage, 50 fishermen will be involved in order to cultivate tilapia in 26 floating net cages.
Each cage will contain the 6000 tail fish fries. Floating net cage system that is used is the two-tier cages.
Two-tier cages gamih useful to overcome pests, which often attack fish farming with slow movements. Gamih is a kind of prey of the order Isopoda Crustacean class that attacks the fish by the gills and infiltrate the blood sucking fish at the gills.
In two-tier cage system, expected gamih not be able to penetrate layers of cages that are designed with surface more tightly.
Yosmeri added, tilapia fish culture in cages two layers was done as an alternative livelihood for the people around who had been fishing on Lake Batur Bilih.
"Raising tilapia in order to preserve fish and reduce dependence Bilih fishermen who catch fish Bilih," said Yosmeri.
Fish Bilih (Mystacoleucus padangensis) is an endemic fish of Lake Batur is relatively resistant gamih attacks and became a mainstay of the people for this.
However, an expert fishing Bung Hatta University, Padang, Prof. Hafrijal Syandri, on the same day against the plan tilapia fish farming in Lake Batur it. "The possibility there will be a population explosion of phytoplankton to the lack of oxygen at the surface," he said.
It was as a result of rising concentrations of ingredients in fish feeds in floating net cages, such as phosphorus, sulfur, nitrite, and nitrogen. Singkarak water pollution that ultimately feared would disrupt fish populations Bilih.
"In fact, during the water quality of Lake Batur also been disturbed by hydroelectric Singkarak and the flow of water from the River Sumani and Lembang in Solok," said Hafrijal, who is also rector of the University of Bung Hatta, Padang.
Hafrijal said, cultivation that would worsen the water quality of Lake Batur and in turn will lead to mass mortality of fish like that repeated in Lake Maninjau.
He mentioned, should be done is to maximize fish populations Bilih as endemic fauna of Lake Batur. "Fish Bilih can also be a source of high revenue for the community," said Hafrijal.