Abstract
A grouper wich has a high economic value is one of the major predators in the coral reef ecosystem. Market demand on this fish has led to a declination in the natural grouper population. The study was aimed to estimate the exploitation rate of grouper resources in Gulf of Lasongko. The exploitation rate was measured based on a length-based on the growth parameter estimation. The result showed that the exploitation rate of the humpback, brown marble, orange-spotted and leopard coral grouper consecutively were 0.51 year-1; 0.53 year-1; 0.52 year-1; 0.51 year-1. The results indicated that the exploitation rate of all species of groupers had reached their optimum level, however, the declination of the population was due to the habitat deterioration within the study site. A coral rehabilitation program should be conducted in enhancing coral reef coverage in the Gulf of Lasongko.
Key words : grouper, exploitation rate, growth parameter.