Why sponge gardens matter
Deep-water sponges create complex habitat used by fish, crustaceans and other animals. They also filter water and help cycle nutrients. When sponge communities are damaged by trawling, pollution or climate pressures, the ecological effects reach well beyond the sponges themselves.
At Apollo Marine Park, OBT and partners tested a restoration approach around 80 metres below the surface. Cultivated sponges were deployed with artificial reef materials about 12 nautical miles off Apollo Bay, an unusually deep setting for active marine restoration.
Four reasons to restore them
Habitat and fisheries
Three-dimensional sponge gardens provide shelter and nursery space for marine animals, including species important to fisheries.
Water quality
Sponge filtration moves seawater through living tissue, processing organic matter and influencing local water conditions.
Carbon cycling
Sponge communities participate in the movement and storage of organic carbon through deep-sea food webs.
Resilience
Healthier, more varied seabed habitat can improve the ability of marine ecosystems to respond to disturbance and environmental change.
OBT combines habitat structures, sponge propagation and repeat surveys so restoration can be evaluated rather than assumed.
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