Glass sponges are not fish but rather a group of deep-sea, silica-based sponges belonging to the class Hexactinellida. They are primarily found in cold, deep ocean waters, such as those off the coasts of Canada, the United States (notably Alaska), Russia, and Japan. While glass sponges themselves are not widely targeted for food fisheries, they are sometimes harvested for scientific research, aquarium trade, or as curiosities. However, their fragile, reef-forming habitats are vulnerable to damage from commercial bottom trawling, particularly in regions like British Columbia, Canada, and the North Pacific, where deep-sea fisheries for groundfish and shrimp overlap with glass sponge reefs. As a result, countries like Canada and the United States have implemented protective measures and fishing restrictions to preserve these unique ecosystems, rather than actively promoting their harvest. The focus in these countries is more on conservation than on commercial exploitation of glass sponges.
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Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.