WATERS CARRYING CAPACITY FOR DEVELOPMENT OF SEAWEED CULTURE OF Eucheuma cottonii IN LUWU AND PALOPO DISTRICTS, BONE BAY, SOUTH SULAWESI
<p><em>I</em><em>n seaweed <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Eucheuma</span> <span style="text-decoration: underline;">cottonii</span> cultures</em><em>,</em><em> </em><em>a w</em><em>ater carrying capacity</em><em> is an important factor to</em><em> optimize</em><em> the </em><em>seaweed culture. Carrying capacity can </em><em>be </em><em>determine</em><em>d</em><em> by </em><em>an </em><em>ecological footprint </em><em>production </em><em>(EF</em><em><sub>p</sub></em><em>) </em><em>analysis. This research</em><em> was conducted in</em><em> May 2015 (1<sup>st</sup> </em><em>transitional</em><em> </em><em>season</em><em>) and September 2015 (2<sup>nd</sup> </em><em>transitional</em><em> </em><em>season</em><em>) in Luwu and Palopo</em><em> distircts</em><em>, South Sulawesi. Map and land use </em><em>were </em><em>analyzed </em><em>using</em><em> GIS (Geographic</em><em> </em><em>Information Systems)</em><em>.</em><em> </em><em>The result showed that the</em><em> </em><em>ecological foot</em><em>-</em><em>print production </em><em>(EF<sub>P</sub>) </em><em>in Luwu waters was 67.88 ton/capita/year or equivalent to 235,823.93 tons/</em><em> </em><em>year.</em><em> However, b</em><em>ased on the analysis of the </em><em>water </em><em>availability </em><em>for </em><em>seaweed was 59</em><em>,</em><em>781.79 hectares, it can produce seaweed (biocapacity) for 1,437,779.60 tons/year and the number of farmers that allows for use the </em><em>waters</em><em> is 21</em><em>,</em><em>432 capita. The ecological footprint </em><em>production </em><em>(EFp) in Palopo waters is 3</em><em>.</em><em>08 ton/capita/year, or equivalent to 4</em><em>,</em><em>589.99 tons/year.</em><em> </em><em>Water availability analysis is 1</em><em>,</em><em>771.</em><em> </em><em>41 hectares are able to produce seaweed (biocapacity) for 18</em><em>,</em><em>287.46 ton/year and the number of far</em><em>-</em><em>mers that allows for use the </em><em>waters</em><em> is 635 farmers capita. The results comparison between biocapa</em><em>-</em><em>ci</em><em>-</em><em>ty and ecological footprint, ecological status for Luwu and Palopo waters are still in sustainable use.</em></p>