Eel (Anguilla marmorata) commodity in Rana Lake, Buru Island: Lake ecology and eel development prospects

Abstract

Rana Lake is located in the middle of Buru Island, Maluku Province Indonesia. One of the organisms which inhabit Rana Lake is eel (Anguilla marmorata) or locally known as mloko. Eels are exploited by indigenous community or Bupolo people for long time by using traditional gear during their annual migration through Wainibe River to reproduce somewhere in Pacific on December. This paper examines ecology of Rana Lake related to the population of ells (A. marmorata). Socio-economic of local indigenous community or Bupolo people is also discussed including their culture and possibility to improve their livelihood through innovation of eels processing and seeking for their market.