<![CDATA[ Empu Rancak coastal waters in Karanggondang village, Mlonggo District is one of the coral reef ecosystem location in coastal area of Jepara Regency. Following the growth of culinary and Marine tourism bring the need for monitoring the condition of coral reefs so that such activity does not provide ecological impacts against the condition of coral reefs. The method used to assess the condition of coral reefs is Line Intercept Transect which done by percentage calculation of living coral coverage. The research results shows that the condition of the coral reefs in a depth of 3 metres found coral cover percentage of 4.5%, while at a depth of 6 meters found coral cover percentage of 9.7%. From this result indicates the coral reefs in critical condition，however the high biodiversity and dominance index value is presumed that these coral reefs was in good condition. It`s showed by the high percentage of coral die either at a depth of 3 metres (95.54%) or at a depth of 6 meters(90.30%). The diversity of species of coral were found at a depth of 3 meters consist of 6 genus, they are: Goniastrea sp., Favia sp., Galaxea sp., Porites, Acropora sp. and Montipora sp., whereas at a depth of 6 meters were found more species of coral diversity for at least 11 genus, they are: Acropora sp., Favites sp., Echinopora sp., Goniastrea sp. Symphyllia agaricia sp, Favia sp., Goniopora sp., Porites sp., Montipora sp., Platygyra sp., and Montastrea sp. The condition of coral reefs cover which relatively critical are caused by decreasing the quality of waters ecology that caused by sedimentation rate and runoff processes of land activity, high waves in northwest monsoon and the growth of culinary tourism as well as marine tourism in Empu Rancak coastal waters gradually worsen the condition of coral reefs. Perairan pantai Empu Rancak desa Karanggondang, Kecamatan Mlonggo merupakan salah satu lokasi ekosistem terumbu karang yang berada pesisir di kabupaten Jepara. Dengan berkembangnya aktivitas wisata kuliner serta wisata bahari, maka perlu dilakukan pemantauan kondisi terumbu karang agar kegiatan tersebut tidak tidak memberikan dampak ekologi terhadap kondisi terumbu karang. Metode yang dipergunakan untuk menilai kondisi terumbu karang adalah dengan metode perhitungan persentase penutupan karang hidup menggunakan Line Intercept Transect. Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa Kondisi terumbu karang di kedalaman 3 meter ditemukan prosentasi tutupan karang sebesar 4,5 %, sedangkan pada kedalaman 6 meter ditemukan prosentase tutupan karang sebesar 9,7 %, maka kondisi terumbu karang di perairan pantai empu rancak Mlonggo, dalam kondisi buruk sekali, namun tingginya keanekaragaman dan nilai indeks dominasi, maka diduga bahwa terumbu karang dilokasi penelitian pernah dalam kondisi baik sebelumnya. Hal ini ditunjukan dengan tingginya prosentase karang mati baik pada kedalaman 3 meter (95,54 %) maupun pada kedalaman 6 meter (90,30 %). Keanekaragaman jenis karang yang ditemukan pada kedalaman 3 meter terdiri atas 6 genus yaitu : GoniastreaSp., Favia Sp., Galaxea Sp., Porites Sp., Acropora Sp.,dan Montipora Sp.,sedangkan pada kedalaman 6 meter ditemukan keanekaraamanan jenis karang yang lebih banyak (11 genus), yaitu : Acropora sp., Favites sp., Echinopora sp., Goniastrea sp., Symphyllia agaricia, Favia sp., Goniopora sp., Porites sp., Montipora sp., Platygyra sp. ,dan Montastrea sp. Kondisi tutupan terumbu karang yang relatif buruk sekali diduga diakibatkan oleh menurunnya kualitas ekologi perairan yang diakibatkan oleh oleh tekanan laju sedimentasi serta proses run off dari aktivitas didaratan, tingginya paparan gelombang pada saat musim barat serta berkembangnya wisata kuliner serta wisata bahari di perairan Pantai Empu rancak yang memperburuk kondisi terumbu karang. ]]>
