Sponges - A simple but diverse sea species

Sponges form one of the most ancient animal groups on the planet, with a fossil record reaching back to the Cambrian period, some 580 million years ago.

They are multi-cellular and have simple structures, with no true tissues or organs. Despite this simplicity, the group is highly diverse - there are about 8,000 present-day species, 7,000 undescribed species and hundreds of fossil species.

There are existing policy frameworks that can be used to improve sponge protection, notably a UN General Assembly resolution in 2006 calling on states to ensure vulnerable marine ecosystems do not suffer significant adverse environmental impacts from bottom fishing.