<![CDATA[ABSTRACT Increasing of population growth leads to the settlement enlargement and constriction spatial of city residence, therefore a coastal reclamation becomes a choice. The reclamation affecting the population and the habitat of sea urchin Tripneustes gratilla by disturbing mutual relationship among organisms. The change of ecological haracteristics could be decreasing sea urchin resources. The T. gratilla culture in Indonesia has not been conducted commercially. Research about T. gratilla is limited because lacking of seed, eventhough an artificial spawning technique has been mastered. This research aimed to compare the characteristics of ecological aspect, food source, diameter, body weight, gonad weight, gonad index, specific growth rate (SGR), and survival rate of T. gratilla at the different sampling locations in Pelabuhan Tanjung, Tanjung Tuis, Kilongan permai, Biak, and Bolii. The advantage of the research expected to be an effective and efficient solutions in the advance of aquaculture by prioritizing a continuing environment conservation aspect. Experiment and survei method with randomized sampling location applied in five different locations. The results showed that the best sea urchin was in Tanjung Pelabuhan in June with diameter (55,60±1,96 mm), total weight (83,56±7,84 g), gonad weight (8,39±2,99 g) and gonad index (10,07±3,60%). In contrary, the lower quality of sea urchin was in May in Bolii with diameter (62,20± 2,78 mm), total weight (67,96±8,94 g), gonad weight (1,22±0,58 g), and gonad index (1,83±0,86%). The diameter, total weight, and gonad weight of sea urchin did not equivalent with gonad index. The second phase of this research showed that gonad weight of cultured sea urchin in treatment A was 31.99±0.38a g, while B was 31.74±0.61ab g, and C was 32.42±0.56b g. The SGR parameter in present study showed no difference among treatments. Keywords: ecological characteristics, gonad index, Tripneustes gratilla ABSTRAK Pertambahan penduduk yang semakin meningkat, menyebabkan permukiman dan penataan kota menjadi sempit, reklamasi menjadi salah satu pilihan. Reklamasi pantai berpengaruh pada populasi dan ekosistem bulubabi Tripneustes gratilla sehingga simbiosis mutualisme terganggu. Karakteristik ekologi dapat berdampak pada menurunnya sumberdaya bulubabi. Di Indonesia kegiatan budidaya bulubabi secara komersial belum dilakukan. Penelitian tentang bulubabi untuk budidaya masih minim dilakukan karena ketersediaan benih. Penelitian bertujuan membandingkan karakteristik aspek ekologis, sumber pakan, diameter, berat tubuh, berat gonad, indeks gonad, survival growth rate dan tingkat kelangsungan hidup bulubabi diperairan Pelabuhan Tanjung, Tanjung Tuis, Kilongan permai, Biak, dan Bolii. Kegunaan penelitian ini diharapkan menjadi solusi dalam pengembangan akuakultur dengan mengedepankan aspek kelestarian lingkungan yang berkelanjutan. Metode penelitian yang digunakan yaitu survei dan experimen dilakukan secara acak. Hasil survei menunjukkan bahwa pada lokasi Tanjung pelabuhan, diameter bulubabi terbaik di bulan Juni (55,60±1,96 mm), berat utuh (83,56±7,84 g), berat gonad (8,39±2,99 g) dan indeks gonad (10,07±3,60 %). Terendah bulan Mei di lokasi Bolii, diameter (62,20± 2,78 mm), berat tutuh (67,96±8,94 g), berat gonad (1,22±0,58 g), dan indeks gonad (1,83±0,86%). Diameter bulubabi, berat utuh, dan berat gonad tidak berbanding lurus dengan indeks gonad. Eksperimen kedua menunjukkan bahwa berat gonad pada budidaya perlakuan A (31,99±0,38a g), B (31.74±0.61ab g), dan C (32,42±0,56b g). Sementara parameter SGR yang didapatkan pada penelitian ini tidak berbeda nyata antarperlakuan. Kata kunci: karakteristik ekologi, indeks gonad, Tripneustes gratilla]]>
