'British Museum report on the Persian Gulf as a possible area for successful sponge fisheries. (Pol. No. 1718/05)' [‎2r] (3/4)

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be injured by being trodden upon. If the methods of naked diving, diving
in a dress, or hooking -vvere employed, there would be no danger of bringing
up oysters to the surface.
It is probable that the local tribes would bo extremely hostile to anv
syndicate working on the Pearl Oyster Banks, unless they were convinced
that it was to their interest to co-operate with the syndicate. The pearl
fisheries occupy about 30,000 men and 5,000 boats during five months of
the year, from June to October. All the inhabitants think about is pearls.
" 'We are all, from the highest to the lowest, slaves of one master—pearl/
said Mohammed bin Thanee to me." (Palgrave).
Even in Europe the experiments made in the Adriatic on sponge
cultivation by Professor Oscar Schmidt on behalf of the Austrian Govern
ment in 1867-72 were abandoned, chiefly on account of the hostility of the
ignorant natives. In America, too, the local populations have frequently
shown themselves hostile to strangers endeavouring to introduce new
methods.
It may not be out of place to mention here that, assuming the existence
of rich sponge beds, successful enterprise in connection with them would
depend on certain conditions being observed. The most important of these
eonditions are :—
(1.) To avoid fishing up or damaging small specimens.
(2.) Not to fish in a locality that has been temporarily exhausted, for at
least three years.
(3.) To ascertain, by careful research and observation, the period at which
sponges in any particular area mature the eggs, and to observe a
" close time " during that period, for nothing can be more wasteful
than to fish up a sponge full of embryos just on the point of
becoming larvae. Legislation enforces a close period in Tunis
from 1st March to 1st June.
Summary and Conclusion.
The writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. of this Ueport is unable to state definitely whether or not rich
beds of coniQiercial sponges exist in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and along the Muscat
coast; but he is of opinion that many of the conditions requisite for the
healthy life of such sponges occur there.
The sponge harvest is, perhaps, the most profitable of all marine harvests,
and the price of sponges in the market appears to be continually increasing.
In view of the increasing demand of the world for sponges and of the
diminishing supply, sponge fisheries have now become a most valuable
asset; accordingly, if sponge grounds are present to any extent in the
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , a syndicate would stand a very good chance of success.
(Signed) R. Kirkpatrick.
British Museum,
November 1905.