Scientists found 9 new sea sponge species in Alaska

Deep-sea sponges and other invertebrates in a collection basket during a bottom trawl survey. (NOAA Fisheries)
This summer, researchers announced the discovery of nine new species of deep-sea sponges off the coast of Alaska. Five of them were found in the Aleutian Islands.
Sean Rooney is a fish biologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center. As part of NOAA’s Groundfish Assessment Program, he and his team conduct bottom trawl sur