Why did the traditional pearl-fishing industry in the Persian Gulf decline in the 1930s?

The traditional pearl-fishing industry in the Persian Gulf experienced a continuous decline starting around 1931 due to a combination of economic and social factors:

• Global Economic Conditions: The industry was severely impacted by the world economic depression, which reduced demand and profitability.1
• Market Competition: The emergence and widespread introduction of Japanese cultured pearls on the world market created significant competition for natural pearls.12
• Labor Shifts: Workers increasingly moved away from the arduous and dangerous labor of pearl diving toward other, less demanding, and more lucrative employment opportunities.1

While the discovery of oil in the region later transformed the local economy, the decline of the pearling industry was already well underway by the 1930s due to these specific pressures.12