An Integrated Decision Support System (DSS) for the Management of Sustainable Mariculture in Indonesia

Indonesia has great potential for aquaculture development but its expansion is often insufficiently focused in environmentally sustainable practice. For this reason, regarding an ecosystem approach to aquaculture (EAA),the aim of this paper is to demonstrate the application of decision support system for the management of sustainable floating net cage mariculture (SYSMAR DSS)in three selected regions in Indonesia: Talise Island, Galang Island and Ekas Bay.Through GIS spatial planning tools, SYSMAR DSS is used to perform site selection and assesses production and ecological carrying capacity. Economic analysis provides vital information on 18 cases, focusing on the economic viability of Tiger Grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus), Humpback Grouper (Cromoliptes altivelis)and Leopard Coral Grouper (Plectropomeus leopardus) which utilizes various feed types and production scales.SYSMAR DSS shows that only Galang Island provides a substantialarea with a suited area of about 12,940 ha. The estimated maximum production carrying capacity is 51 – 366 tons/farm andecological carrying capacity is in the range 18,393 – 21,727 tons/year/suitable area. After a 5-year projection period, the economic evaluation highlighted that all studied culture developments are economically viable. These results confirm the SYSMAR DSS is able to determine potential sites which comply with environmental sustainability and socio-economic criteria.