482 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 
The sponges from the Bay of Bomba and neighboring parts of the Tripolitan 
coast, which are generally known in the markets as Benghazi sponges, are 
much superior to those above described and will sell for from two to four times 
the price of Tripoli goods. In 1908 bath sponges sold for $6.20 per pound, 
toilet sponges for $8.22, and cup sponges for $13.65. The bath or honeycomb 
sponge of Benghazi is hardly inferior to that of Mandruka and most of the 
better ones aresold as such. The annual product of this region is about $75,000 
to $90,000. 
All types of Mediterranean sponges are found on the coast of Tripoli, but 
zimoccas and honeycombs are more common, especially on the Tripoli grounds. 
TUNIS. 
The Tunisian sponge beds lie between Bibau and Sarsis near the Tripolitan 
frontier, about the island of Gherbis, in the Gulf of Gabes, in front of Sfax 
between Mahares and Mehedia, about the Kerkennah Isles, and along the 
coast in front of Monastir and Susa. 
Sponges are taken on these coasts by wading, naked diving, harpooning, 
dredging, and diving with the scaphander. The seasons vary with the method. 
Naked diving and harpooning are carried on in general from October to Jan- 
uary, at the time when the bottoms are cleaned of vegetation and the sponges 
can be plainly seen, but the use of the scaphander and the dredge is physically 
possible throughout the year. 
Wading is practiced by natives only, especially those of Kerkennah and 
Gherbis; the harpoon is employed by natives, Sicilians, Maltese, and Greeks; 
the dredge is used by Sicilians and Greeks, while the latter alone employ the 
scaphander. The Tunisian government has recently interdicted the use of the 
scaphander during November and December and has restricted the number 
of licenses to be issued. In 1904-5 the maximum was 22. 
In 1904 the fishery gave employment to 1,368 vessels and boats, of which 
522 were Italian, 79 Greek, and 767 Tunisian, upon which were employed 1,688 
Italians, 444 Greeks, and 2,299 natives, a total of 4,431 men. Gourret says that 
in 1896, an average year, there were engaged in the fishery 1,089 vessels, measur- 
ing 2,371 tons and manned by 3,201 men, in addition to which there were 169 per- 
sons taking sponges afoot (wading). In 1854 there were but 102 boats, and in 
1882, according to Henneque, 572 boats and vessels—Sicilian, Greek, and native. 
Following is a table of the product for various periods since 1854: 
Year. | Pounds. | Value. | Year, Pounds. Value. 
| 
RAGA. 5 2 ae se eee | 26, 400 $12,000 | g54.000) [o-=o Scones 
S848. om ene ada ee ang. GOON ano cs eae 18 222,000 $224. 000 
WESe-86. 2 ee eee eee ee TOR GOO) ane ne BESS AO: Bioo eo ee 
$B00. oo oe ae ee ee ei gas, 0000 Rou nea eee Sd 234,000 434,900 
|) ee eee eye ea a 200,000 237,700 
