Figure /;5... 



Ailinglaplap. 



Anchor and float for sponge culture. 



August 19i;6. 



B. JAPANESE SPOUGB CULTURE AT AILINGLAPLAP (ifarshalls) 



On 26 August, 194-6, an examination T;as made of the experimental sponge beds planted 

 at Ailinglaplap by the Japanese in June and July of both 1939 and ig^iO. The planted area 

 covers approximately two acres located just west of South Passage channel on the lagoon 

 side. Depth is three to five fathcais with a white coral sand bottom. Tne area is well 

 protected from rough water on the east by the channel reef, which is exposed at low tide. 

 Ihere are also protective reefs on the north and partly on the west. On the south, 

 Bigatyelang Island prevents high winds frcm reaching the area. 



The metiiod of planting was very simple and was done by natives under Japanese super- 

 vision. Cement blocks 5 by 5 by 2 inches were used as anchors. From this block a piece 

 of solid aluminum wire, about #12, stretched upward to a float made of a tightly corked 

 and sealed Japanese one liter beer bottle (Fig. A5). Ihe length of the wire varied some- 

 what depending on the depth, but was long enough so that 24 sponge cuttings could be 

 strung on it four inches apart. A few wires bad as many as 30 sponges on them. Not all 

 of the cuttings survived, but Tiortality was not excessive, for almost all wires had 20 

 to 24 sponges on them. 'Rie bottle float was from a fathom and a half to two fathoms 

 below the surface. The lowest sponge v,as 12 to 18 inches above the bottom. Anchors were 

 spaced 10 feet apart on the bottom, sufficient to prevent fouling the wires in case of a 

 storm, for v.e saw no wires which had become tangled. 



According to a native informant, samples were sent to Japan, but no commercial 

 harvest was made. The best time for taking up as well as planting is June and July, as 

 that is the season of least wind and calmest water, A few sponges are taken by natives 

 for washing babies. Their method of cleaning spon-^es is to bur;": them under v/ater and sand 

 on the lagoon reef for three days, then wiash them in salt water followed with fresh (rain) 

 water, then dry them in the sun. 



Although it was impossijle to make an exact count, there are several hundred sponges 

 remaining. The aluminum v;ire is becoming brittle, and unless the sponges are either 

 removed or restrung, it will not be more than another six months until some Jsecome detach- 

 ed. Because of the fine sand bottom, it is probable that sponges falling to the bottom 

 would be silted over and killed by the first heavy wind. 



The sponges are a very dark blue color when alive, but after cleaning are very nearly 

 white without bleaching. The size varied ft-om four to six and a half inches in largest 

 dimension. Shape was rather irregular, almost all individuals having one or more short 



71 



