The Social and Cultural Value of Deep-Sea Sponges

SponGES POLICY BRIEF

©Fisheries and Oceans Canada The social and cultural value of deep-sea sponges

eep-sea sponges inhabit very remote areas, which are difficult Dto access and to study. For centuries, the deep-sea seafloor was almost considered as bare soil hosting very little biodiversity. However, this perception radically changed when, through advances in technology, deep-sea sponge aggregations were discovered. The first sponge ground was detected in 1987 around the Faroe Islands and the occurrence of scattered deep-sea sponge grounds was later confirmed in several other areas of the Northeast Atlantic (Klitgaard and Tendal, 2004).

These discoveries sparked a debate, within the international community, on how to reconcile the conservation of sponge grounds with ongoing economic extractive activities in the deep sea.

Today the relevance and the vulnerability of deep-sea sponge grounds are widely recognized at the international level.

SponGES has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 679849. This document reflects only the author’s view – the Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains. Deep-sea sponge grounds are classified as Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) BOX 1 Plurality of values held (FAO, 2009), are considered ecologically and towards natural biologically significant areas (UNEP-WCMC, ecosystems 2010), and since 2008 are included in the Oslo- Paris Convention for the Protection of the Marine • Direct use values: are related to benefits Environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR received from direct utilization. The convention) (OSPAR, 2008). utilization could lead to consumptive or Government representatives, gathered non-consumptive uses. in the United Nations General Assembly, • Indirect use values: are related to committed to taking actions to protect VMEs by the benefits received from ecosystem reducing adverse impacts caused by bottom maintenance. fisheries in international waters (high seas) • Option values: are related to benefits (UNGA, 2007; UNGA, 2009). Besides this that will be received in the future from recognition at the international level, what sort both direct and indirect uses. of values could different individuals place on • Bequest values: are related to deep-sea sponges? benefits that will be received by future generations. Possible benefits and • Altruistic values: are related to benefits values associated to that will be received by others. • Existence values: are related to benefits deep-sea sponges received by knowing that the ecosystem Values express the multifaceted way in which exists and will continue to exist. nature, ecosystems, or ecosystems services are considered important by individuals and social groups. Individuals can hold a plurality of values • the microscopic geometric patterns found towards ecosystems according to the different in their spicules spark my creativity and my benefits received (Box 1). artwork; Below, examples of different values • I enjoy the beautiful underwater landscapes associated to the existence of deep-sea sponges they create in the deep sea; are listed. As shown, reasons for which deep- • they are living examples of primitive life forms; sea sponges could be valued could greatly they are incredibly intriguing organisms to differ. • study, characterized by an amazing complexity DIRECT USE VALUE – CONSUMPTIVE which is yet to be unraveled; I feel reverence and respect for the ocean and I value deep-sea sponges because: • • different anticancer drugs commercially available all its life forms. are derived from natural compounds found in sponges. INDIRECT USE VALUE I value deep-sea sponges because: DIRECT USE VALUE – NON-CONSUMPTIVE • they provide a habitat for a variety of other marine organisms; I value deep-sea sponges because: • being out in the ocean and exploring them • they are essential habitats for the fish I eat; through underwater oceanographic instruments • they contribute to the regulation of biochemical is an extraordinary experience; processes in the deep sea.

2 OPTION USE VALUE FIGURE 1 Economic valuation of ecosystem services lies at the interface among I value deep-sea sponges because: economic, ecological, social and • they are a potential source of new cultural dimensions pharmaceuticals and new therapies which could prove to be effective for treating serious or life- threatening diseases; • in the future, biosilica bone-graft implants derived from deep-sea sponges may be useful Ecological Social and in healing my bone fractures, osteoporosis or value cultural value other bone defects; Economic valuation they have a great potential for providing future of ecosystem • services (still unknown) biotechnological innovations.

NON USE VALUE (BEQUEST, ALTRUISTIC, Economic EXISTENCE) value I value deep-sea sponges because: • they are part of the natural heritage, which I would like to pass on to my children and my Source: Author’s elaboration grandchildren; • I would like all the benefits that they convey to be available to others; the non-material cultural benefits conveyed by • they are unique life forms in the deep sea. deep-sea sponges (in the social and cultural dimension). A large share of social and cultural values Plurality of values and often remain unaccounted for and are usually approaches needed related to cultural services that do not provide material or physical benefits, but rather The plurality of existing values towards benefits related to thoughts, beliefs, and natural ecosystems is not easily accounted emotional responses within the inner life of using a single approach. An economic an individual (Figure 2). Aesthetic experience, valuation, lying at the interface of economic, art inspiration, spiritual experience, and cultural ecological and social dimensions, is often heritage are all examples of cultural services. carried out to demonstrate the contribution of These nonmaterial benefits are by definition ecosystems to people’s wellbeing (Figure 1). intangible and subjective. Thus, they are very However, an economic valuation is usually difficult to capture and even more difficult to able to include only a limited number of quantify and to translate in monetary terms. ecosystem services due to data limitation. In the case of deep-sea sponges, the economic valuation carried out by FAO (2020a) Society’s interest towards could not comprehensively reflect: future option deep-sea sponges: first uses (in the economic dimension), the ecological relevance of deep-sea-sponges concurring to indications the maintenance of processes of the deep sea Deep-sea sponges raise great interest in the and threats and impacts generated by human scientific community. This interest peaked in activities (in the ecological dimension), and 2016, when 72 researchers, belonging to

3 FIGURE 2 Intangible values associated to deep- At the same time deep-sea sponges sea sponges can be expressed by could also be considered part of our world reflections and emotions belonging natural heritage. Some massive specimens, to the inner life of an individual. unique sponge grounds or reef formations clearly represent unique features in the The heart of a man is deep-sea (Figure 4). The World Heritage Convention, promoted by the United Nations very much like the sea Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization it has storms (UNESCO) and adopted in 1972, is an international agreement aimed to protect our it has tides common cultural and natural heritage. For the and in its depths, preservation of the world natural heritage, the it has its pearls, too. Convention lists natural features, formations and natural sites of outstanding universal value. VINCENT VAN GOGH Some of the criteria used to select UNESCO natural sites can also be applied to marine ecosystems (Abdulla et al., 2013). While several Source: Author's elaboration. Photo: ©Fisheries and Oceans Canada coral reefs are already included among World Heritage marine sites, there is also potential for 25 different institutions from Canada, the inclusion of deep-sea sponges characterized by Unites States of America and Europe created a exceptional natural beauty (criterion vii), but also consortium under the SponGES project to make features contributing to exceptional ecological progress in the study of deep-sea sponges. or ocean processes (criterion ix) or those During the SponGES project, the supporting an exceptional level of biodiversity relevance of deep-sea sponges for scientific (criterion x). research and education was shown by the over 90 peer-reviewed publications, with an FIGURE 3 Inspiration provided by the average impact factor of 4.36, which recorded deep-sea sponge (Euplectella 23 522 reads on the Researchgate platform aspergillum) for the construction of (SponGES project, 2020). a famous skyscraper in London. However, the interest in deep-sea sponges is not confined to the scientific realm, but it is slowly percolating in other disciplines too. One example is found in modern architecture, in which the simulation of patterns, structures and processes observed in nature is used as an approach to finding innovative solutions (i.e. biomimicry). The skeleton of the deep-sea sponge (Euplectella aspergillum), known as the Venus' flower basket, with the helicoidal arrangement of its filaments, has given the inspiration for the London's Gherkin skyscraper designed by Foster and Partners (Davidson, 2020). Sources: left, ©FAO; right, ©Aurelien Guichard, CC BY-SA 2.0.

4 FIGURE 4 The largest ever known deep-sea sponge, measuring over 3.5 m in length, 2.0 m in width and 1.5 m in height, recently discovered by Wagner and Kelley (2017).

Source: ©NOAA

The reaction of the general public to the threat due to human activities, and 45 percent outcomes of the SponGES project seems to considered the threat to be high or very high. To suggest the interest of a potential diversified reduce this threat, 73 percent of the respondents audience consisting of researchers, university supported the idea of establishing marine students, fishery managers, decision makers, protected areas (Lotze et al., 2018). industrial actors, NGOs, pupils/children No specific surveys so far have been and adults. The SponGES project with carried out to describe, in a structured way, its dissemination and outreach strategy public perceptions and opinions towards deep- has reached out to over 2 million people sea sponges, but some are available for cold- worldwide, through 120 conferences and water corals. workshops, 80 exhibitions, pitches, public Not only cold-water corals and deep-sea engagement actions and a strong digital sponge grounds are both benthic habitats presence (SponGES project, 2020). classified as VMEs, but they can occur together in mixed formation (Figure 5) (UNEP- WCMC, 2011). Surveys of people’s Therefore, the attitude of stakeholders attitude towards VMEs towards cold-water corals is likely to be relevant for deep-sea sponges, too. A common belief is that, based on the old saying In Europe surveys on public attitude towards “out of sight, out of mind” the general public cold-water corals have been carried out in will have little interest in the conservation and Ireland (Wattage et al., 2011; Armstrong and management of the deep sea, including deep-sea Aanesen, 2019), Norway (Aanesen et al., 2015; sponge grounds. On the contrary, a recent large Aanesen and Armstrong, 2019; Armstrong et al., meta-analysis of 25 surveys, covering 21 countries 2019), and Scotland (Jobstvogt et al., 2013). across North and Central America, Europe, Africa, In these types of surveys, scenarios made Asia, New Zealand and Australia, revealed that 70 for different attributes were presented to percent of the interviewed people (n = 32 800) respondents. All analyzed surveys had a similar believed the marine environment to be under core structure, in which different scenarios

5 FIGURE 5 Example of cold-water corals and deep-sea sponges occurring together together on the Schulz bank, Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge

Source: ©Hans Tore Rapp, University of Bergen arose from the interplay of three main attributes: scenario always described the “business the size of the area established for protection as usual situation” in which there were no for cold-water corals (e.g. MPA or area closure), additional protected areas for cold-water corals, the type of economic activity (e.g. bottom fishing no activity restrictions, and no increased cost and/or oil and gas extraction) allowed in the borne by society. protected area, the monetary contribution (e.g. In all surveys, the business as usual scenario taxes) that respondents were willing to pay never represented the preferred option. On the for cold-water coral protection. Respondents contrary, the most common attitude towards were asked to select the preferred scenarios cold-water corals was that they are worthy of or to rank them. This implied assessing the protection because of their existence value trade-offs between respondent’s inner and because they are habitat for fish. beliefs and values towards cold-water A critical point, which emerged in several corals’ conservation, personal economic loss surveys, regarded the trade-offs between (i.e. additional taxes), and/or the economic cold-water corals’ protection and restrictions loss of others (i.e. restrictions for deep-sea of bottom fishing activities. bottom fisheries and/or deep-water oil and In the Irish survey, respondents showed a gas industry) (Jobstvogt et al., 2013). Although strong preference for banning bottom fisheries respondents were usually not very familiar with where corals were thought to exist (Wattage cold-water corals, they were able to acquire et al., 2011), but a more mixed attitude was new information provided during the survey and later found by Armstrong et al. (2019). In to process it with their own beliefs and moral Scotland and Arctic Norway, the decision on values (Jobstvogt et al., 2013). this trade-off was not unequivocal but some The number of proposed scenarios was heterogeneity was found in the sample of variable among the surveys. However, one respondents.

6 A positive preference towards bottom Understanding such plurality of values fisheries was expressed by local coastal is pivotal for a participatory decision-making communities depending on fisheries, by process. people with higher education, who were A representative stakeholder consultation not directly involved in the sector, but were will provide insights on the existing plurality of concerned about the potential impacts on the values associated to VMEs, which in turn will national economy, and by those underlining reveal stakeholders’ views and preferences. the historical and cultural relevance of this Similar values will lead to similar interests activity (Jobstvogt et al., 2013; Aanesen and and priorities, which will constitute a common Armstrong, 2019). ground to establish increased networking and collaboration among different stakeholders. On the contrary, contrasting values and priorities Implications for are likely to determine areas of conflicts among management and stakeholders’ groups (Figure 6). decision making FIGURE 6 Plurality of values towards VMEs Policy makers and managers are likely to can be reflected in different increasingly face situations in which they need stakeholder behaviors and attitudes to decide on further implementation of protected areas for the conservation of deep-sea sponge ey and consu urv ltat grounds in the waters of their national jurisdictions S ion or in international waters (FAO, 2020b). Stakeholder Stakeholder The plurality of values that can be preferences views associated to deep-sea sponges will be reflected into different stakeholders’

behaviors and attitudes (Box 2). Stakeholder Plurality of Stakeholder e

n t

o values towards

conﬂicts priorities w i

VMEs o a

o i

BOX 2 a

Insight on people’s attitude

n Stakeholder Stakeholder

a c

towards VMEs in a nutshell

e concerns interests

u l

o o l

a r

People can place a value on VMEs a t D i • o

despite their location in remote areas and n the general lack of familiarity with these habitats. Source: Author’s elaboration • People can recognize VMEs as habitat for fish species, which is not necessarily instrumental for higher current or future Evidence found in the literature suggests fish catch (use value or option value). that the lack of knowledge by the general • People can consider VMEs worth of public on VMEs should not be confused with protection for a pure existence or a lack of interest. bequest, non-use values. Stakeholders motivations and views towards VMEs might not be entirely captured People can have conflicting views when • by economic considerations (Box 4). On the they had to choose between VMEs conservation and economic activities, contrary, non use values can be a key driver especially deep-sea fisheries. of the preferences of the general public towards increased VME’s protection.

7 References

Aanesen M., Armstrong C., Czajkowski,C., Falk-Petersen Klitgaard, A.B. & Tendal, O.S. 2004. Distribution and species J., Hanley N. & Navrud, S. 2015. Willingness to pay for composition of mass occurrences of large-sized sponges unfamiliar public goods: Preserving cold-water coral in in the northeast Atlantic. Progress in Oceanography, 61: Norway. Ecological Economics, 112: 53–67. 57–98. Aanesen, M. & Armstrong, C.W. 2019. Trading off co-produced Lotze, H.K., Guest, H., O’Leary, J., Tuda, A. & Wallace, D. 2018. marine ecosystem services: Natural resource industries Public perceptions of marine threats and protection from versus other use and non-use ecosystem service values. around the world. Ocean & Coastal Management, 152: Frontiers in Marine Science, 6: 1–14. 14–22. Abdulla, A., Obura, D., Bertzky, B. & Shi, Y. 2013. Marine OSPAR. 2008. OSPAR List of threatened and/or declining natural heritage and the world heritage list: interpretation species and habitats. Reference number: 2008–2006. of world heritage criteria in marine systems, analysis of Paris, OSPAR Commission. biogeographic representation of sites, and a roadmap for SponGES project. 2020. General Assembly Meeting (GAM) addressing gaps. Gland, Switzerland, IUCN. 52 pp. 2020 Report. Online conference 10-12 November 2020. Armstrong, C.W., Aanesen, M., van Rensburg, T.M. & Sandorf, UNEP-WCMC. 2010. Deep-sea sponge grounds: reservoirs of E.D. 2019. Willingness to pay to protect cold water corals. biodiversity. Written by Hogg, M.M., Tendal, O.S., Conway, Conservation Biology, 33: 1329–1337. K.W., Pomponi, S.A., van Soest, R.W.M., Gutt, J., Krautter, M. Davidson, E.A. 2009 The Gherkin and the Swiss re tower in & Roberts, J.M. UNEP-WCMC Biodiversity Series No. 32. London. [online]. [Cited 18 August 2020]. www.trendhunter. Cambridge, UK, UNEP-WCMC. com/trends/gherkin-like-sea-sponge. United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). 2007. Resolution FAO. 2009. International Guidelines for the Management 61/105 Sustainable fisheries, including through the 1995 of Deep-sea Fisheries in the High Seas. Directives agreement for the Implementation of the provisions internationales sur la gestion de la pêche profonde en of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the haute mer. Directrices Internacionales para la Ordenación Sea of 10 December 1982 relating to the Conservation de las Pesquerías de Aguas Profundas en Alta Mar. Rome/ and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Roma, Rome. 73 pp. Migratory Fish Stocks, and related instruments. UNGA a/ FAO. 2020a. Economic valuation of ecosystem services RES/61/105. 21 pp. provided by deep-sea sponges. FAO Fisheries and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). 2009. Resolution Aquaculture Circular No. 1217. Rome, FAO. 97 pp. 64/72 Sustainable fisheries, including through the 1995 FAO. 2020b. Technical measures and environmental risk agreement for the Implementation of the provisions assessments for deep-sea sponge conservation. FAO of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Report. Rome, FAO. 40 pp. Sea of 10 December 1982 relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Jobstvogt ,N., Hanley, N., Hynes, S., Kenter, J. & Witte, U. Migratory Fish Stocks, and related instruments. UNGA a/ 2013. Investigating public preferences for the protection RES/64/72. of deepsea ecosystems: A Choice Experiment Approach. Working Paper 13-WP-SEMRU-03, The Socio-Economic Wagner, D. & Kelley, C.D. 2017. The largest sponge in the world? Marine Research Unit (SEMRU), National University of Marine Biodiversity, 47: 367–368. Ireland, Galway. Wattage, P., Glenn, H., Mardle, S., Van Rensburg, T., Grehan, A. & Foley, N. 2011. Economic value of conserving deep- sea corals in Irish waters: A choice experiment study on marine protected areas. Fisheries Research, 107: 59–67.

THIS POLICY BRIEF WAS PREPARED BY: Daniela Ottaviani, FAO consultant CONTACT FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Merete Tandstad Fisheries - Marine and Inland Fisheries Branch (NFIF) [email protected] fao.org/fisheries Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Rome, Italy

[email protected] deepseasponges.org @DeepSeaSponges @DeepSea_Sponges

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