Kagava: One of the oldest methods which nowadays is limited due to its catastrophic effects on the sea bed, also known as gagava or kagava. It is a trailed tool referred as gagami in ancient times, like a small net used to fish out ostracods (shellfish).Harpoon: The quantity of sponges that could be gathered was limited, but the harpoon method didn’t require any special equipment or large boats, so even poor fishermen could independently fish sponges.
The sponges’ elaboration begins immediately after it’s out of sea water as the animal dies extremely fast and due to decomposition the sponge is destroyed. By stepping on it and washing with sea water the body is removed. Also any marine debris (sand, stones, some little animals, cancroids and ostracods that live on the sponges) are also removed. Then sponges are left out in the sun to die and the procedure is once again repeated. Next the sponges need to be stringed and thrown in the sea at night and the waves rinse away the membrane remains.
Kalymnos Island has a world wide reputation due to its divers and sponge fishing. Sponge fishery has a long tradition on the island and contributes to the island’s economic prosperity. Kalymnos together with Karpathos, Kasos, Nisyros, Symi and Halki are the main places that the so called “Voutichtadon” (divers who fish out sponges) originate from, whose activities spread out to the entire Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Recently they have expanded their “craft” even in countries such as America, the Gulf of Mexico and Florida.