The 33rd session of the FAO Committee on Fisheries (COFI) meets this week in Rome, Italy. A record number of participants (760 in total) will discuss major international fisheries and aquaculture issues including IUU fishing, aquatic genetic resources, and climate change and other environmental issues.

Topics of particular interest for deep-sea sponges will be the discussions on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, climate change, and biodiversity in sustainable fisheries. Importantly, there will be discussions on the global and regional processes for sustainable fisheries and their management, which will also touch upon biodiversity in the context of fisheries. Thus, the role of deep-sea sponges in the marine environment and their contributions to ecosystem services are of much relevance to the ongoing discussions.

Our SponGES factsheets and infosheets are on display for delegates to pick up, and as of the first day they have gone fast! (Missed them? Check these out: download the 8 SponGES factsheets here, and download the 6 SponGES infosheets here).