USU Expert: Controlling Red Devil Fish Essential to Protect Lake Toba Ecosystem
Medan (ANTARA) - Biodiversity expert from the University of North Sumatra (USU), Onrizal, stated that controlling the red devil fish (Amphilophus labiatus) is crucial to maintaining the ecosystem balance of Lake Toba and protecting the sustainability of local community fisheries in the region.
“The red devil is not a native species of Lake Toba. In suitable environmental conditions, this fish can multiply rapidly and has the potential to suppress local fish populations,” Onrizal said in Medan on Tuesday.
A researcher at the Centre for Tropical Ecology and Biodiversity Conservation, he explained that the red devil is a species originating from Central America. It is suspected to have entered Lake Toba through the ornamental fish trade, after which they were released or escaped into public waters.
Furthermore, the vastness of Lake Toba, combined with adequate food availability and a lack of natural predators, allows the species to thrive and adapt effectively. Onrizal noted that the red devil possesses aggressive characteristics, is capable of defending territorial areas, and protects its nests and offspring.
“In a lake ecosystem, such characteristics can suppress local fish through food competition, competition for living space, and the potential predation of other fish fry,” he said.
He added that the impact of the red devil’s presence is felt not only ecologically but also economically by the communities surrounding Lake Toba. According to him, the dominance of red devil fish in catches can reduce the economic value of fisheries because the species has a lower market value compared to the various edible fish that have traditionally been the primary source of income for fishermen.
Consequently, Onrizal believes that population control must be carried out in a planned manner. However, he acknowledged that total eradication of the red devil in Lake Toba is difficult given the vastness of the waters and the suspected established population of the fish.
“A more realistic strategy is population control and limiting their spread,” he said.
He suggested that control could be achieved through intensive fishing in spawning locations and areas with high population concentrations. Additionally, the catches could be utilised for various purposes, such as animal feed or processed products, without encouraging cultivation or spreading the species to other waters.
Onrizial also urged local governments, universities, research institutions, and fishermen’s groups to develop integrated, data-driven control programmes to map population distribution, assess impacts on local fish, and evaluate the effectiveness of the control measures implemented.