Gonad Maturity and Growth of Abalone Shells (Haliotis asinina) Maintained in a Compartment System at Different Depths

The current production of abalone shells (Haliotis asinina) is mostly from natural catches, which may lead to overexploitation. Adequate seed supply, skilled labor and long maintenance time are the constraints of abalone aquaculture in Indonesia. The compartment system, which utilizes the bundled area of floating net cage suspended at different depths, can increase the production capacity of abalone without increasing the horizontal area of the culture area, so this method is effectively used in abalone culture. This study aims to determine the best depth for the growth and maturation of abalone gonads. This research was conducted from October to December 2024 in Ekas Bay, Ekas Village, Jerowaru District, East Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara Province. West Nusa Tenggara. The method used is an experimental method with a complete randomized design (CRD) consisting of 4 depth treatments, namely 0 m, 2 m, 4 m, and 6 m, each repeated 4 times. The results showed that the depth treatment gave a significantly different effect (p<0.05) on absolute weight growth and specific growth rate, where the treatment depth of 4 m (P3) was significantly different or higher than the other treatments. Depth treatment did not significantly differ (p<0.05) on absolute length growth and survival rate of abalone shells. The level of gonad maturity of abalone shells reaching level II at each depth was different. Water quality during the study was: temperature 30-320C, pH 7-8, salinity 35-37 ppt, disloved oxygen 8-9 mg/l, and brightness 4-7 m. These values are still within the optimum range of abalone life.