Hutan mangrove di Teluk Bintuni dikenal terbaik di Indonesia, tetapi terancam kerusakan akibat pemanfaatan oleh beberapa perusahaan, yang berdampak negatip pada masyarakat sekitarnya. Oleh karenanya, penelitian dilakukan dengan tujuan untuk mengungkap potensi kerusakan hutan mangrove, respon penduduk setempat terhadap hutan mangrove, serta akibat pemanfaatan hutan pada sosial ekonomi setempat. Metode survei digunakan dalam pengumpulan data penelitian, dengan melakukan wawancara terhadap 80 kepala keluarga (KK) sebagai responden, atau 16 persen dari seluruh jumlah populasi (499 KK). Responden ditentukan berdasar simple random sampling. Analisis data menggunakan analisis deskriptif analitis dari tabulasi frekuensi dan tabulasi silang. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa potensi kerusakan hutan mangrove cukup besar. Selama 5 tahun (1996-2000) peningkatan luas areal tebangan hutan mangrove oleh perusahaan HPH dan industri chip mill dan wood chip 14.531 ha/tahun. Akibatnya tumbuhan bakau semakin berkurang, sehingga penurunan produksi chip mill dan wood chip 27.312 m3/tahun. Peningkatan luas tebangan tersebut, juga berakibat pada penurunan produksi ikan di perairan Teluk Bintuni 76,29 ton/tahun. Hal itu juga disebabkan makin intensifnya penangkapan ikan oleh perusahaan kapal penangkap ikan. Meskipun demikian keberadaan perusahaan berdampak positip, yakni pada peningkatan penyerapan tenaga kerja lokal sebesar 46 persen atau 1192 orang; rata-rata peningkatan devisa dari hasil kayu US$ 2.267.399/tahun; dari perikanan laut Rp 6.755.900,-/tahun. Meskipun sebagian besar (48%) status sosial ekonomi penduduk lokal termasuk rendah, namun pengetahuan sebagian besar penduduk lokal (60%) tentang hutan mangrove (baik tentang manfaat, kerusakan, dan perlunya pencegahan kerusakan) termasuk tinggi. Hal ini akibat ketergantungan kehidupan sosial ekonomi mereka pada hutan mangrove sangat besar. Oleh karenanya, respon sebagian besar (64%) penduduk lokal terhadap hutan mangrove sangat positip. Dampak setiap pemanfaatan hutan mangrove oleh masyarakat lokal belum tampak secara nyata, akibat penggunaan teknologi bersifat sederhana. Namun beberapa gejala perubahan telah terjadi, khususnya tujuan pemanfaatan cenderung berubah ke komersial, intensitas pemanfaatan semakin meningkat, dan hasil pemanfaatan semakin sedikit. Indikator sosial ekonomi, seperti isu-isu benturan kepentingan antara HPH dan industri dengan masyarakat lokal; dan keterbatasan kualitas penduduk dalam penguasaan teknologi dalam pemanfaatan hutan mangrove serta pemasaran hasil; dapat dijadikan sebagai salah satu dasar menyusun alternatif arah pengelolaan hutan mangrove.

Mangrove forest in Bintuni Bay is the best in Indonesia, however exploitation of the forest by several firms and industries are seriously threat to the forest and social economic of local community. Because of that this research is carried out to expose potentially deterioration of the mangrove forest, knowledge and response of the people to the mangrove forest, and the impact of the deterioration forest to socio economic of the local people. Survey method is employed in primary data collecting from 80 respondents are households who as a samples from 499 heads of households in this area. The sample is selected on the basis of simple random sampling. Data analysis makes use qualitative descriptive of frequency and cross tabulations. The result of research shows that the deterioration potential of mangrove forest is too high. Logging area of the mangrove forest extents 14,531 ha/year as a result of the operation of several forest firms (HPH) and chip mill and wood chip industries as long as 5 years (1996-2000) are. Impact of the logging is decreasing of several mangrove vegetation was indicated by decreasing of chip mill and wood chip products 27,312 m3 every year. The extention of logging area is also decreasing of fish product in Bintuni Bay 76.29 ton/year. Decreasing of the fish product is also the impact of the more intensive of several boat firms in fishing with high technology. Besides the several negative impacts on the mangrove forest, the several positip impacts show on 46% or 1192 local people who get job in those firm; the growth of export wood product is US$ 2,267,399/year; the growth of export fish product is Rp 6,755,900.-/year. Though the most of people (48%) have a low category of social economic status, however the most of the local people (60%) knowledge about mangrove forest (benefit, deterioration, and the important of mangrove deterioration preventive) are high category. It has relation ship with the high dependency of their life on mangrove forest. Because of that, the most of part of the people response (64%) are included on the high degree category. Impact of the every kind of peole activities in mangrove forest exploitation has not been really showed, because they are still use tradional technology. However, several changes phenomenon shows on the aim of activities tend to commercial purpose, the intensity of activities tend to higher; but the household income tend to lower. Acording to the finding, several social economic indicators such as issues interest conflict between forest firms and wood industries with local people; and issue people quality constraint on using technology and product marketing system; have to more takes consideration in order to manage the mangrove forest.

Kata Kunci : potensi kerusakan hutan mangrove, dampak kerusakan hutan mangrove, kondisi sosial ekonomi penduduk lokal, deterioration potential of mangrove forest, impact of the deterioration of mangrove forest, social economic condition oh the local people