ORIGINAL RESEARCH
The Impact of Aquaculture in Floating Net Cages
Exceeding the Carrying Capacity on Water
Quality and Organic Matter Distribution:
the Case of Batur Lake, Indonesia
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1
Research Center for Environmental and Clean Technology, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN);
Kawasan Puspiptek Gd. 820. Serpong 15314. Tangerang Selatan, Indonesia
2
Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Jl. Ir. Soekarno KM 21 Jatinangor,
Sumedang, West Java. 45363, Indonesia
3
Faculty Industrial Agricultural Technology Universitas Padjadjaran Jl. Ir. Soekarno KM 21 Jatinangor,
Sumedang, West Java, Indonesia
4
Department of Agro-Industrial Technology, Institut Teknologi Indonesia. Jl. Puspitek, Setu,
Kec. Serpong, Kota Tangerang Selatan, Banten 15314, Indonesia
5
Research Center for Limnology and Water Resources, National Research and Innovation Agency, Jalan Raya Jakarta
Bogor KM. 46, Cibinong, Bogor 16911, Indonesia
6
Research Center for Fishery, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). Kawasan Puspiptek Gd. 614,
Serpong 15314, Tangerang Selatan, Indonesia
Submission date: 2023-09-20
Final revision date: 2023-12-11
Acceptance date: 2024-01-02
Online publication date: 2024-04-10
Publication date: 2024-04-18
Corresponding author
Riardi Pratista Dewa
Research Center for Environmental and Clean Technology, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN);
Kawasan Puspiptek Gd. 820. Serpong 15314. Tangerang Selatan, Indonesia
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2024;33(4):3651-3663
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ABSTRACT
Lake Batur’s water quality on Bali Island has significantly declined, leading to massive annual fish
mortality rates. The suspected reason is the expansion of aquaculture using floating net cages (FNC)
beyond their capacity. The study aims to assess the impact of FNC-based aquaculture on water quality
and organic matter distribution, specifically total organic matter, TSS, and chlorophyll a. The result
states that Lake Batur has exceeded its carrying capacity of 10,047 plots since 2018 and currently
holds 18,768 plots as of 2022. Within the last five years (2018-2022), the FNC discharged 5,947 tons of
organic waste into Lake Batur, containing 1,779 quintals of nitrogen and 430 quintals of phosphorus.
Consequently, each liter of Lake Batur water accrues 7.29 mg of organic waste annually, including
2.18 mg of nitrogen and 0.53 mg of phosphorus. Organic waste in Lake Batur has led to a reduction in water transparency, an increase in total organic matter (TOM), a decrease in dissolved oxygen (DO),
and an increase in chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentrations. Its changes serve as indicators of eutrophication
and degradation of water quality. The distribution of organic matter across the euphotic zone did
not correlate with FNC distribution, suggesting that FNC distribution no longer influences organic
matter distribution. Environmental factors surrounding the SL have emerged as the primary driver
of differences in organic matter distribution. It demonstrates the dissemination of organic matter
in the euphotic zone of Lake Batur due to the constant discharge of effluent by the long-standing FNC,
which has surpassed its maximum capacity.