Prospect of seaweed developement in South Sulawesi through a mapping study approach

Seaweed is one of fishery commodities which is extremely potential for foreign exchange income. Indonesia known as a nation which has many areas which are potential to
develop seaweed, above all in Province South Sulawesi, encourages the researchers to know the prospect of seaweed production development. Therefore, this paper aims to present the potency of seaweed development in South Sulawesi in order to reduce proverty. The study was carried out in two regencies, namely Bantaeng and Luwu. The study identified the seawed development potency by using mapping study approach with analysis method. The data was obtained by using structured
interview. The research result showed that both regencies developed some species of seaweed, they were Eucheuma cottonii, Eucheuma spimosum and Gracilaria sp. However, the farmers in both areas still used traditional ways. In Bantaeng, the farmer cultivated Eucheuma cottonii and Eucheuma spimosum utilizing long line method. Meanwhile, in Luwu, the farmer cultivated
Eucheuma cottonii and Gracilaria sp with different method. Eucheuma cottonii was cultivated by using long line method, whilst Gracilaria sp was by bottom method. Generally, Gracilaria sp was cultivated in earthen dam. Consequently, the amount of seaweed production was still low. In addition, in this research founded that some of farmers applied an islamic-based system in cultivating seaweed but it still needs in-depth understanding.