Identification of Specifications and Catches of Sea Cucumber Dredge Gear in Cirebon Regency

Sea cucumbers (Holothuria sp) are a leading export commodity for Indonesian fishermen. The increase in the selling price and demand for sea cucumbers in 2018 made fishermen in Cirebon Regency modify the fishing gear to maximize the catch of sea cucumbers which is called the sea cucumber dredge gear. The purpose of this research is to identify the specifications of the gear, catch, selectivity and productivity of the sea cucumber dredge gear operated in Cirebon Regency, West Java. The research was carried out in July 2019 - September 2020 in Gebang Mekar District. Fishing gear measurements were carried out along the fishing village of Gebang Mekar Village. The method used is a case study method with quantitative descriptive analysis to determine the specifications of the fishing gear and catches taken by interviewing fishermen. The results showed that sea cucumber dredge gear was included in the dredge gear category. The components consist of a mouth, a hook, a frame, a net, and a rope of varying sizes. The materials used are iron and stainless steel, weighing up to 50 kg. The main catch of sea cucumber in Cirebon Regency consists of Phylloporus sp or ondol - ondol and bycatch in the form of several demersal fish, with a total of 7 species. This fishing gear is classified as not selective because of its construction which has a net with a small mesh size (2-5 inches) so that this fishing gear captures many species of different sizes and the results of the calculation of the proportion show that bycatch has a percentage of 74,75%.