xii, D,4 Seale: Sea Products of Mindanao and Sulu 199 



THIRD PHILIPPINE LEGISLATURE. 



Fourth session. ■ 



A. B. No. 1571. 



[No. 2584.] 



AN ACT REGULATING SPONGE FISHERIES IN THE PHILIPPINE 



ISLANDS. 



By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine 

 Legislature, that: 



Section 1. Except as provided in this Act, it shall be unlawful to fish, 

 collect, or gather sponges from the sea bottom or reefs within a radius of 

 three marine leagues from any land within the territorial limits of the 

 Philippine Islands. 



Sec. 2. The Secretary of the Interior may grant concessions for the 

 fishing for, collecting or gathering of sponges in any waters of the Philip- 

 pine Islands, to the following: 



(a) Citizens of the United States or of the Philippine Islands. 



(6) Honorably discharged soldiers or sailors of the Army or Navy of the 

 United States. 



(c) Corporations duly organized under the laws of the Philippine Islands. 



(d) Persons who have under and by virtue of the Treaty of Paris ac- 

 quired the political rights of natives of the Philippine Islands. 



Sec. 3. All applications for concessions shall be made to the Secretary 

 of the Interior and be accompanied by a description giving latitude and 

 longitude indicated upon a chart of the region desired, the latest published 

 charts of the United States Geodetic Survey being taken as the basis of the 

 plot. Such applicants must take oath in proper form that the said area 

 does not conflict" in any way with any concession already granted or oc- 

 cupied. If the Secretary of the Interior should become satisfied of the 

 financial responsibility of the applicant, the concession may be granted, 

 subject to the proper erection and location of marks and buoys. All con- 

 cessions must be marked at each corner with properly anchored buoys, and 

 in shallow water, description of boundary marks must be submitted. 



All persons working under a concession or permit must at all times 

 carry in their possession copy of such concession or permit ready to exhibit 

 the same upon demand by any peace officer or other persons designated by 

 the Secretary of the Interior to enforce the provisions of this Act. 



Sec. 4. The annual concession fee shall be twenty-five pesos per square 

 kilometer. Concessions granted in accordance with this Act shall be for the 

 sponging privilege exclusively, shall run for a period of not to exceed ten 

 years, and shall not interfere with the free passage over the area under 

 concession of boats or vessels, nor in any way prevent the unrestricted 

 fishing, by other persons over the said area, for marine forms other than 

 sponges: Provided, however, That, subject to confirmation by the Secretary 

 of the Interior, the Director of Education or his authorized representatives 

 may select from any concession, without charge, adequate areas of foreshore 

 and waters for the cultivation of sponges or other marine forms for the 

 purpose of any government school or schools located on or adjacent to any 

 concession. 



Sec. 5. The Collector of Internal Revenue shall collect the fees and 

 charges fixed by virtue of the provisions of this Act. The annual con- 



