- Banyuwangi plays a vital role as one of the most important vannamei shrimp farming centers in East Java. The rapid expansion of the aquaculture industry in the region is now confronting a major challenge: the degradation of water quality.
- The problem is driven by the accumulation of anthropogenic waste loads from domestic activities, agricultural fertilizer runoff, as well as feed residues and chemicals discharged from shrimp farming activities along the watershed.
- The decline in the quality of incoming water poses a serious threat to the sustainability of aquaculture ecosystems. It not only triggers drastic fluctuations in the physical and chemical parameters of the water, but also accelerates the transmission of harmful diseases that can potentially cause mass shrimp mortality.
MARITIMEPOSTS.COM — Banyuwangi has long stood as an epicenter of the “white gold” industry in East Java, a reputation built on its remarkable productivity in vannamei shrimp farming. Yet behind the shine of exports and the seemingly productive stretches of shrimp ponds lies a worrying contradiction: the ecosystem is crying out for help.
The rapid growth of the industry has reached a crossroads, confronting an environmental degradation that is slowly but steadily eroding the stability of the aquaculture systems themselves.
Understanding the health of downstream shrimp ponds cannot be separated from what is happening upstream. Based on the concept of watershed ecosystem connectivity, our rivers have increasingly become “highways” transporting accumulated anthropogenic waste loads downstream.
Field data indicate significant inputs of dissolved nutrients in upstream areas, including TAN (Total Ammonia Nitrogen), phosphate, and nitrite.
Scientifically, one of the most notable findings is the nitrite correlation value of R=0.60, demonstrating a strong influence from domestic wastewater, agricultural fertilizer runoff, and feed residues from inland aquaculture on the quality of water flowing toward the coastal zone.
The decline in incoming water quality is therefore not merely an aesthetic issue. It represents a tangible threat to shrimp farmers.
“The decline in incoming water quality not only triggers drastic fluctuations in physical and chemical water parameters, but also accelerates the transmission of harmful diseases that can potentially cause mass shrimp mortality,” said Arif Habib Fasya, an aquaculture researcher from Airlangga University’s campus.
Arif was one of the speakers at the National Workshop on Sustainable Shrimp Pond Management Strategies, organized by the Coordinating Ministry for Food Affairs, the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Bappenas, and Conservation International in Surabaya on Thursday, August 27, 2026.
“Danger” Status: When TOM and TSS Approach Their Limits
According to Arif, in the environmental orchestration of a shrimp pond, organic parameters often act like a conductor determining the direction of success.
“Although the numerical measurement results have not technically exceeded the maximum permissible water quality standards, their status has already been labeled ‘Danger.’ This is because of the continuing upward accumulation trend, rather than merely representing a snapshot at a particular moment,” he said.
| Parameter | Measurement Result | Maximum Standard | Water Quality Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| TOM (Total Organic Matter) | 15.80–89.11 mg/L | 90.0 mg/L | Danger |
| TSS (Total Suspended Solids) | 2.98–75.5 mg/L | 100.0 mg/L | Danger |
Why are these figures so concerning?
The accumulation of TOM provides the “main stage” for the proliferation of vibriosis.
According to Arif, high levels of organic matter and total suspended solids (TSS) do not merely provide a medium for pathogenic bacteria to grow. They also systematically reduce the efficiency of oxygen diffusion in the water.
This is an extremely fragile balance. Even a slight increase in organic loads can cause the biological defense system within a shrimp pond to collapse rapidly.
The Salinity and Temperature Dilemma: An Often-Overlooked “Caution” Zone
Arif also warned that aquaculture operators often focus too heavily on water cleanliness while overlooking the rhythm of nature.
At present, temperature and salinity conditions in Banyuwangi’s shrimp-farming areas are “dancing on the edge” of the shrimp’s comfort zone.
With temperatures ranging from 27.5 to 32.2°C, the status is classified as caution. Salinity, meanwhile, ranges from 21.5 to 38.5 ppt, also falling within the caution category.
According to Arif, this instability is exacerbated by extreme seasonal fluctuations, creating additional physiological stress for shrimp.
Managing shrimp ponds in an era of climate change is no longer simply about keeping ponds clear. It has become an art of mitigating environmental anomalies that can arrive with little or no warning.
In sustainable aquaculture, we recognize the Pressure–State–Response framework. An unstable environment—from sharp salinity fluctuations to the accumulation of nitrite and TOM—acts as a constant stressor.
Shrimp exposed to environmental stress experience physiological disturbances that can drastically weaken their immune capacity. Under such fragile defensive conditions, disease transmission becomes much faster.
Disease does not simply come from outside; it can also be a biological response to our failure to maintain a stable environment for the shrimp.
Future Solutions: Molecular Detection and a Disease Risk Index
The future of the industry can no longer rely on intuition alone. It requires precise, data-driven navigation.
Arif proposed two strategic solutions.
The first is Molecular Pathogen Detection using PCR, enabling early detection of pathogens at the genetic level before mass mortality occurs and supporting early mitigation efforts.
The second is the Disease Risk Index (IRP), an intelligent “navigation system” that integrates multiple stress parameters, ranging from TOM, TSS, and nitrate to biological indicators such as TVC (Total Vibrio Count) and TBC (Total Bacterial Count), as well as deviations in temperature and salinity.
This long-term strategy goes beyond daily measurements. A comprehensive follow-up plan includes mapping disease distribution over an entire year.
“This mapping is crucial for understanding seasonal risk patterns along the Banyuwangi coastline. It can provide practical benefits for shrimp farmers in designing safer and more adaptive production calendars,” Arif said.
Choosing Between Short-Term Profit and Sustainability
At the conclusion of his presentation, Arif emphasized that Banyuwangi’s success as a vannamei shrimp farming center is a source of pride. But maintaining that success will require an intellectual and moral commitment.
The active role of academic institutions such as Airlangga University—ranked #287 globally (Top 300 World Rank)—is therefore vital.
“This research is not merely a series of numbers. It is tangible evidence of science’s commitment to safeguarding the local economy while protecting the ecosystem that serves as the lifeblood of the community,” he said.
According to Arif, the choice ultimately comes back to us: will we continue pursuing short-term profits at the expense of environmental degradation, or will we begin investing in watershed health for a sustainable future?
For him, balancing industrial growth with river and watershed health is no longer a choice. It is a necessity if we want to ensure that vannamei shrimp can remain “white gold” for generations to come.
Editor: K. Azis
