ABSTRAKBudidaya rumput laut dalam kurun waktu lebih kurang satu dasawarsa terakhir telah menjelma menjadi matapencaharian utama di beberapa desa di wilayah Kecamatan Tanimbar Selatan dan Selaru, Kabupaten MalukuTenggara Barat, Provinsi Maluku. Profil nilai sosial ekonomi aktivitas ini mengkaji karakteristik aktivitas budidayarumput laut dan nilai ekonominya dengan pendekatan effect on production. Berdasarkan hasil analisis permintaandapat disimpulkan bahwa kemiringan kurva permintaan yang terbentuk adalah sebesar 0,26, sedangkan kemiringankurva penawaran dari hasil analisis adalah sebesar 0,56. Pada kondisi keseimbangan pasar menghasilkan hargapasar riil, yaitu sebesar Rp.4.603,78 per kilogram dengan jumlah produk optimal yang diminta di pasar sebanyak15,60 ton per tahun. Nilai total ekonomi sumberdaya rumput laut hasil budidaya dapat dihitung dengan mencari nilaisurplus konsumen dan nilai surplus produsen. Nilai surplus konsumen diestimasi sebesar Rp.31,91 juta, sedangkannilai surplus produsennya sebesar Rp.52,87 juta, sehingga nilai total ekonomi sumberdaya rumput laut hasil budidayadapat diestimasi sebesar Rp.84,78 juta per individu pembudidaya dan dengan jumlah pembudidaya sebanyak 1.614orang, maka nilai ekonomi total sumberdaya rumput laut hasil budidaya di Kecamatan Tanimbar Selatan dan Selarumencapai sebesar Rp.136,83 milyar.Kata Kunci: Rumput Laut, Profil, Surplus Konsumen, Surplus Produsen, Nilai Ekonomi.ABSTRACTSeaweed culture that has been cultured during the period of approximately a decade became the main livelihoodfor several villages in the Subdistrict of South Tanimbar and Selaru, West Maluku Tenggara District, Maluku Province.Socio-economic value of the activity profile examines the characteristic of seaweed farming activities and theeconomic value using effect on production approach. Based on the demand analysis, it can be concluded that theslope of the demand curve is equal to 0.26, while the slope of the supply curve was 0.56. In the market equilibriumconditions produce real market prices, amounting of IDR 4,603.78 per kilogram with the optimal number of productsdemanded in the market as much as 15.60 tons per year. The total value of the economic resources of seaweedcultivation can be calculated by finding the value of consumer surplus and producer surplus. Consumer surplusestimated at IDR 31.91 million, while the value of producer surplus amounted to IDR 52.87 million, so that the totalvalue of the economic resources of seaweed cultivation can be estimated as much as IDR 84.78 million per individualfarmer. The number of seaweed cultivators was as 1,614 people, so that the total economic value of seaweedcultivation in the Subdistrict of South Tanimbar and Selaru reached IDR 136.83 billion.Keywords: Seaweed, Profiles, Consumer Surplus, Producer Surplus, Economic Value.