The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-08-16
WILL FISH
FOR GOOD
SP0NCES
New Industry May
Be Developed
Soon.
EXPERTS EXPECT
TO LOCATE THEM
Reports Lead to Belief Valuable
Fisheries Will be Found on
the Outer Bars.

* of a merchantable quality in the
81 waters about these Islands. the
last week of the stay Of the party rep
resenting the United States Fish Com
mission will be devoted in part to an
investigation of report concerning their
presence. Should there be found sponges
which will be fit for market, these will
add materially to the wealth of the
Islands, more in fact than any other
product of the fisheries
There Is one State of the Union which
now produces all the sponges which
are brought to the market locally Along
the coast Of Florida the industry has
been pushed to its limit, until the an
nual sales Of sponges amounts to $780,
900. The product sells for as high as
$3.50 pound, which makes the business
most profitable. There are sixty
schooners in the trade and the bust
ness Is the staple of many of the towns
along the coast of the State The fish
ermen have brought the business to
high state of perfection and they are
able to make large catches in season.
The sponge fishing is done in deep
water, the best specimens of the large
bath sponges being obtained from fifty
feet below the surface. They are To-
Gated with water glass and then
picked with a long pole carrying on it's
end blade like letter S, which cuts
the sponge loose with a twist, and 1t is
then brought to the surface, if there is
luck, and if not and it gets away 1t Is
lost forever. The men become very
expert In the business and they will
carry it on during high winds, losing
very few of the sponges.
There are many varieties of the
sponge, those which are generally
found about the inclosed waters being
of a sort which are not of value. 1t is
the opinion of Mr.. Cobb, who is one of
the experts of the Fish Commission on
this matter, that good sponges will be
found on the reefs outside and that in
time and short time, for the organi-
cation of this industry will not be an
elaborate transaction, there will be one
of the most profitable of sea product
industries inaugurated.
Reports have come to the members of
the party that high-grade sponges
have been found at Punaluu and other
points on the Kau COAST Some small
specimens have been seen which
are of the finest grade of the satin
sponge, and the belief is expressed that
there will be found a great supply OF
the valuable growths Should beds be
found these will be further cultivated
and the building of the industry win go
on as rapidly as possible.
The Fish Commission steamer Alba
tross viii arrive here, according to the
present plans. about the 1st of Decem-
ber The ship will be used to make
the deep sea soundings and dredgings.
and will spend the entire winter here.
It is expected that there will be In
the cargo of the Albatross a large
shipment of black bass fry. This fish
is always planted in the fall, and there
is good reason to believe that the nee
essary arrangements will be made for
a shipment as soon as Mr.. Cobb re-
turns to Washington. This fish will be
recommended by Mr.. Cobb 10 replace
rivers several years ago. The trout
were not a success. as there Is not
sufficient cold water for them to thrive
The bass will live in any stream, be-
ing Indigenous to almost all the AM
ericdn streams.
The plan will be to place this fish
IN the Waimea river on Kauai, and the
rivers on Hawaii, where it will be CIV
an chance to develop. There will be
no attempt made to bring any great
humber of hfgh-grade fish here, for
'resh and salt water, for the reason
hat the rivers are not long enough.
Thus the salmon or the cod would not
indA sufficiently clear water and dis
ance from the sea for spawning The
,utlook is that mullet VIII be taken
rom here for planting in waters OF
he Mainland, rather than any fish
brought here. The mullet here Is said
o be of high grade, more perfect in
lavor and size than the Florida null
let.