I am not a sponge person. However, recently there is a company promoting to gather this sponge for commercial export. Given the commercial use of resources, it will eventually deplete the wild population. Is there an existing propagation protocol for this sponge?
The photograph was taken from Palawan waters 9 meters deep.
Would it be right to expect that the company proposing to harvest this sponge should provide an identification as a minimum requirement ?
Sorry, but sponge IDs from pics (colour pics are better) are often not safe. You'll need a sample and then do a spicule analysis accompanied by sections to determine arrangements of spicules within the tissues. On big specimens, small samples from surface, base and interior would be needed for the spicule analysis. Of course I'm assuming that a sponge of this size will have spicules...Good luck.
Hi Nick. The company only provided photographs. Thank you for your suggestions.
Contactt Dr. Bülent Topaloglu he is expert of marine sponge, see his e-mail below
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