Sponges as Emerging By-Product of Integrated Multitrophic Aquaculture (IMTA)

The use of marine sponges dates back thousands of years, and interest in these animals is increasing as new applications are discovered. Their potential is extensive, both in their ancient and still popular use as bath sponges for cosmetics and regarding the more recent discovery of bioactive secondary metabolites mainly of interest for the pharmaceutical industry and the less developed aquariology. Despite their proven biofiltration and ecosystem restoration ability and the biomass supply problem for the interested industries, few integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) systems incorporate these invertebrates in their facilities. Therefore, in this brief review, the benefits that marine sponges could bring to rapidly growing IMTA systems are summarized, highlighting their suitability for a circular blue economy.

Automated summary

The use of marine sponges has a long history and is gaining interest due to new applications. They have extensive potential in cosmetics as bath sponges, as well as in the pharmaceutical industry and ecosystem restoration. However, their integration into integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) systems is limited. This review summarizes the benefits of incorporating marine sponges into IMTA systems, focusing on their suitability for a circular blue economy.