European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 21, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Assignment persian Gul so. Even collecting bait has become an ordeal in thana Pat Apoll Days. The Marsallo Brothen used to net a weeks Worth of bait in just 30 minutes now it can take hours to Supply enough for just one Days fishing. The shallow water when the bait fish thrive has been hit hard by Oil contamination. Quot the fish were Black. They were Black inside i think the water is Poison. Too much Oil. Too much dead fish and  Tamir Marsalis pakistani Fisherman working in saudi arabian Waters for 15 years a bloated shark Rota in the summer Sun on an old inched Beach near Manl Fah Bay North of Jubal not far from the Kuwait Border. The Bay was once one of the most productive fishing grounds in the Region. Quot too much Oil. Too much dead fish and  the damage to saudi Arabia s fishing Industry is enormous according to the saudi ministry of agriculture and not simply because of hundreds of thousands of dead fish. Among the first casualties were the mangrove stands that Dot the upper stretch of persian Gulf Shoreline. The mini forests of Small Trees Are vital to the ecological health of the Gulf the scientists said. The mangroves provide stability to the soil and Sand on the fragile coastal Plain. Perhaps More importantly the tangled Root systems provide a Rich foundation for the Marine food Chain. Algae flourish in the shallow Waters and provide food for tiny snails and other organisms that become food for larger fish. The government says that 80 percent of the mangroves have been damaged. Beds of sea grass and algae Flats near Hanifah Bay both key Breeding areas for shrimp also were inundated with Oil and May never recover. Quot we calculate the loss to the fishing Industry alone to be near a billion dollars Quot a ministry of agriculture official said last week. Or. Peter Literaty a United nations environmentalist who has been studying the Middle East for More than 10 years said the consumer faces Little risk of eating poisoned fish. Quot unlike shrimp and microorganisms fish can swim away from Oil Quot Literaty said. Quot those that ingest enough Oil to be harmful to a person will usually die before anyone has a Chance to eat  however smaller amounts of Oil can damage a fish s reproductive organs Literaty said. The real danger is that there will not be enough fish to support All the fishermen. The saudi fishing business normally a $300 million Industry is expected to suffer for about five years Literaty said. The shrimping Industry because of the direct damage to the food Supply could be reeling for 15 years. Quot Many of our Independent fishermen those who fish the shallow Bays or stay continued on Page 8 sunday july 21, 1991 the stars and stripes Page 7