Marine debris characteristics of Barane Beach West Sulawesi

Abstract

Abstract The Barane Majene Beach, West Sulawesi are a multifunctional area that combines ecological and economic coastal functions. Ecologically, the coastal area of Barane Beach is a place where sea turtles lay their eggs every year and economically it is a beach tourism area that is open to the public activity. The existence of beach tourism and river estuaries causes a lot of rubbish to be strewn around and accumulated on the Barane Majene Beach. The research carried out aims to identify the characteristics of marine debris on Barane Majene Beach based on type, size, and total mass. The research was conducted from February to March 2024 at Barane Majene Beach. The research method uses a quantitative approach by collecting data through field surveys using four quadrant transects where each transect measures 10 x 25 m according to the research area. The highest prevalence of marine debris is based on type in sequence, namely plastic, rubber, and others (diaper and foam pieces). Based on size, the majority of marine debris found is macro-debris (91,18%), but some are <2.5 cm in size. The density of marine debris was 0.89 items/m2. The highest mass of marine debris was shown by plastic waste (52 kg) while the total mass collected reached 173.7 kg. The presence of macro-sized waste can threaten the water quality of Barane Beach because once it is in the water it will easily settle to the bottom and disrupt the benthic ecosystem and disrupt sea turtle nesting activites.

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