THE USE OF WATER HYACINTH FIBER (Eichhornia crassipes) AS AN ALTERNATIVE RAW MATERIAL FOR NETS

Abstract

The research was conducted from August to September 2025. Samples were made on 20–31 August 2025, while the testing process was conducted on 1 September 2025 at the Laboratory of the Department of Fisheries Resources Utilization, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, IPB University. This research aims to analyze the breaking strength of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) fiber nets, to analyze and compare them with synthetic nylon nets and nets made from other natural fibers, and to analyze the potential of water hyacinth as an alternative raw material for net production. The nets tested consisted of 2, 4, and 6 fibers of water hyacinth with diameters of 3 mm, 4 mm, and 5 mm. The research used three treatments with ten replications, in accordance with SNI ISO 1805:2010. The observed parameter was breaking strength. The results show that nets made of six fibers of water hyacinth have the highest breaking strength, reaching 8,04 kgf, while nets made of four fibers of water hyacinth have the highest breaking strength per diameter and the best efficiency, at 1,66 kgf/mm.