Students of the Fishing Technology (TPI) Study Program at the Tual State Fisheries Polytechnic (Polikant) are initiating a new breakthrough in the local fisheries sector. Through a Project Based Learning (PBL) scheme in Sathean Village, Southeast Maluku Regency, they are developing slow-release fertilizer block technology designed specifically to engineer habitats around fish aggregating devices (rumpon).
This technology works by gradually releasing nutrients into the water, triggering the growth of phytoplankton and zooplankton. The presence of these micro-organisms is expected to create a richer food chain, thereby attracting high-economic-value pelagic fish to the fishermen's FAD areas.
PBL Project Manager, Fatmah Marasabesy, explained that second- and fourth-semester students were actively involved in the entire process. This ranged from formulating materials in the Fishing Ground Laboratory using a mixture of NPK, tapioca flour, white cement, to direct testing in the sea. They compared the effectiveness of FADs using fertilizer blocks with conventional FADs.
Initial monitoring results showed a significant increase in plankton abundance around the nutrient-treated FADs. Nevertheless, Polikant stated that this innovation is still in the continuous testing phase to accurately measure its impact on fishermen's total catch yields.
In addition to serving as a practical educational tool, this program is expected to address fishermen's challenges in optimizing catch productivity. If proven successful, this technology will be expanded further as an innovative solution supporting food security and the welfare of coastal communities in the Southeast Maluku region.
