The nightmare for Kalymnos' sponge-fishers began in 1986, as a bacteria (the vibra shiloi) began to attack sponges throughout the Mediterranean. Sponges began to blanch, dry out and die. An estimated 90% of Mediterranean sponge life was destroyed.

Unemployment on the Dodecanese isle increased as Kalymnos' sponge production plunged from 30 tons a year (from harvests in Crete, Italy and the Libyan Peninsula) to 3.5 tons by 1993. It was a huge blow for an island whose divers had even established sponge-producing ommunities as far as Florida, USA.

At first the island's options were limited: To import lower-quality American sponges or to embark on deeper dives. It must be noted that only sponges growing at over 50 metres depth remained mysteriously immune to an illness scientists have yet to fully understand. Nonetheless, the epidemic is linked to a normally harmless bacteria's reaction to the increase in the temperature of the Mediterranean Sea's waters.

The deep-water option, however, was full of dangers, as only this year four Kalymnos sponge-fishers were seriously afflicted with the bends. The island is unfortunately badly equipped to deal with this pressure-related condition, with its sole treatment machine often out-of-service.

A 'growing' solution
Finally, this year the municipality of Kalymnos commenced the cultivation of several varieties of sponge off Kalymnos' coast. The programme was launched after the success of a 1998 experiment undertaken in collaboration with the University of Genoa. In the experiment, 275 bits of kapadiko and matapa sponges (each bit being capable of becoming a new organism) were dropped within cages to the 16 metre-deep sea floor near the town of Hali. The 60% survival rate of the animals, which grew back to 50% of their "mother sponge's" size, was encouraging.

This year the municipality lowered 4,500 encaged pieces of sponge over 10,000 stremmata near the coastal villages of Vathi and Kastelli. The cultivation is being attempted at both 20 and 50 metres depth, as the best depth has yet to be determined. Kalymnos ultimately hopes to populate the same stretch of sea floor with 50,000 new sponges.

The European Union's Pesca programme is covering the bulk of expenses, while the municipality is paying for 40% of costs. If the programme succeeds, the island's Organisation of Divers and Sponge-Fishermen may also take over cultivation.