ABUNDANCE AND COMPOSITION OF  MARINE DEBRIS IN SOUTH MISOOL,  RAJA AMPAT DISTRICT, WEST PAPUA

Priscilia Priscilia Yayasan Misool Baseftin
Kyra Bestari Wicaksono Yayasan Misool Baseftin
Siti Nurdjana Sangadji Badan Layanan Utama Daerah Unit Pelaksanaan Teknis Daerah (BLUD UPTD) Pengelolaan KKP, Kep. Raja Ampat, Waisai, Raja Ampat
Selviana Manggasa Balai Besar Konservasi Sumber Daya Alam (BBKSDA) Papua Barat, Sorong, Papua Barat
Elvianita Baby Rinding Balai Besar Konservasi Sumber Daya Alam (BBKSDA) Papua Barat, Sorong, Papua Barat
Willy Manumpil University of Papua (UNIPA), Manokwari, West Papua; a.manumpil@unipa.ac.id
Hery Yusamandra Yayasan Misool Baseftin

Keywords: Marine debris, conservation area, Raja Ampat, plastic

Marine debris has become a huge threat to marine

ecosystems; one of them is Misool, Raja Ampat Marine

Reserve, West Papua. Anthropogenic activities are the main

contributor of marine debris. This research aims to identify

and determine the abundance and composition of marine

debris and factor affecting them in Misool, Raja Ampat.

Macrodebris samples were collected and categorized by

composition and color. Meso- and microdebris samples were

extracted from water and sediments with a filtration and

floatation method using concentrated NaCl solution and later

identified based on its structure and color. Results show that

density of macro-, meso-, and microdebris are higher in

villages than in conservation area, except in high tide, macro-

& mesodebris density is higher in ocean surface on

conservation area than in village. It is caused by ocean current.

Composition of the marine debris is dominated by plastic,

reaching 91% of macrodebris & 100% of meso- & microdebris.

Single-used plastic are commonly found. Meso- & microdebris

structure seen on this research are foam, fragment, filament,

and film. The predominant shades of macro-, meso-, and

microdebris colors are bright. The absence of a proper waste

management at the villages also contributes to debris

abundance.