The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-03-15
WHERE We GET
SPONGES AND
HOW THEYGROW
GREEK DIVERS DISCOVERS VAL
uAsLE FISHING DISTRICTS OFF
THE COAST OF HONDURAS
WHAT A FUNNY FISH A SPONGE
REALLY 10.
spEcIAL 10 THE JOURNAL.

SPECIAL TO THE JOURNAL.
Washiugton. March 14.-Where do
all the sponges come from7 From the
sea, OF course but very few people
know Just how or where they are gath
sired. and that their habitat 10 restrict
ca To n very few profitable fishing dis
lrictE. Like oysters, sponges don't
travel about or their own accord. and
they must be caught where they grow.
An che demand constantly increases
ard the oldsr fishing areas are being
depicted newly discovered grounds are
Of great Importance and are eagerly
sought.
A news item is the current number
OF the Monthly Bulletin or the Pan
American Union, Washington, D. c..
states that fscently q shipment OF 1000
sponges OF . fine grade arrived at Mo-
ollie, Ala. from the coast OF Honduras.
The fact that this coast has extern
sive sponge fishing possibilities had
beam eithsr practically unknown or ig-
nored until q Greek sponge fisher from
the Mediterranean sea happened along
during the latter part OF last year.
with about three weeks fishing he
KRthered enough for the shipment al
luded to, and now Honduras Is going
to add another product 90 it's other
numerous industries.
Sponge fishing IL rather unique oc-
cupation. and the term fishing" is not
much OF q misnomer. Most Of them
are still caught with hooks notwith-
standing the fact that the Improvement
in diving apparatus has made their
gathering easier. They thrive only In
the salt water Of the sea, and the best
known districts are In the Mediterra-
mean sea, the Caribbean sea- the Gulf
Of Mexico, and waters contiguous to
these. Those Of the Mediterranean are
the Oldest and produce about half In
value. though not in quantity. OF the
worlds supply.
TO persons who know sponges only
a. they appear ready for sale and use,
the animal as it comes from the sea
wsSyld be unrecognizable. II is a solid
looking, rather Shiny. feshy body,
varying Ia color from light greytsh
yellow thrS> i range or browns to
black, and in sorm either cup-shaped.
spheroidal, or cake shaped. according
to the species, its age, or the environ
ment in which 1t grew. In general. in
appearance and consistency and the
manner in which it cuts with . knife,
q living Sleeps wool sponge Il not un-
like piece OF beef liver. perforated
with holes end canals. The sponge Of
Tho markets I'D merely the Skeleton the
M4puorting Framework which gives
strcngth ana form to the soft gelatin
usiB tissues or the living animal.
Concerning the life histories of COM
nerciaI sponges but little Is known. In
some species, at least. the sexes are
separate, the females greatly prepon-
dering. and the young are produced
mainly II not solely from eggs. The
young are, for q time, minute free
swimming organisms which may be
carried considerable distances by the
currents trfore they at last settle down
for a permanent attachment, usually
on natural rocky bars near the coast
The old method OF gathering the
sponge was to wade into the shallow
waters and pun MP the growth by |
hand Later the sponge hook. q two OF
three tined short hook attached to a /
long pole. was introduced, and deeper |
water could be fished. The fisherman |
I'm h1s boat closely scanned the bottom |
OF cho water for sponges. tearing them |
loose and depoEting them In the boat |
bw means OF this hook. To overcome |
the difficulty OF seeing the bottom be-
cause of the ripplee on the surface OF |
tho water. the @Bpcngs glass;" or "wa-
Tor telescope was introduced. about /