UNAIR NEWS – A team of lecturers from the Department of Marine Sciences, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences (FPK) Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) has carried out another community service activity. It was held to reduce the anxiety of the local Fish Farming Group (Pokdakan) regarding water pollution in Cumpleng Village, Brondong District, Lamongan Regency, on Saturday and Sunday, January 28-29, 2023.
The head of the FPK community service team, Dr. Eng Sapto Andriyono SPi MT, revealed the findings of heavy metals in the waters. For this reason, his party provides counseling about heavy metal pollution and plastic pollution in the waters. They continued with the mangrove planting action, which involved students and teachers of MA Al Ma’arif.
“In this region, most heavy metals are in sediment, while water and biota are still within safe limits. However, we still have to be vigilant and take preventive measures so that heavy metal pollution continues to decrease. One of them involves biological agents. At the community level, one of the possible efforts is to plant mangroves,” he explained.
According to him, apart from having an economic function, mangroves also play an ecological role and help absorb heavy metals in the waters. Thus, the community can feel the dual benefits of planting mangroves.
Furthermore, there were also presentations on microplastic and polyculture cultivation systems from UNAIR partners, the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), and the Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT).
Because many cultivators in Lamongan apply a polyculture system, a cultivation technique by placing two or more species in one cultivation environment, the species cultivated include seaweed, milkfish, shrimp, and grouper as the main commodities.
In this regard, applying seaweed cultivation can reduce the ammonium content in the waters. On the other hand, the remaining feed and feces from fish can actually increase the growth of seaweed, so the community can consume it as a by-product of grouper/shrimp cultivation.
Technically, the material was conveyed via video. “God willing, UPM and UMT partners will be transported in mid-February or early March to review and provide input on activities in Lamongan directly,” said the FPK UNAIR lecturer.
The community service activities are funded by the World University Association for Community Development (WUACD), an organization established by Universitas Airlangga with many members globally. Therefore, the reach of partners is also from the international community. Undeniably, the team also contributed to the implementation of the 6th SDG Sustainable Development Goals, Clean Water and Sanitation, regarding improving water quality, and the 14th SDG regarding Life Below Water in fisheries development.
Author: Viradyah Lulut Santosa
Editor : Khefti Al Mawalia
