1. Assignment 4.1.2 - Sponge Industry <br />Sponges are invertebrate animals that live in the ocean; they assume many shapes, colors, and sizes. All sponges are sessile; they cannot move from where they grow. Sponge reproduction can be asexual or sexual. If pieces of a sponge are broken off, they will grow into another sponge. Small buds will grow off the side of a sponge. If they don't break off, they remain as a member of a sponge colony. They are full of holes called pores, through which water moves, bringing microscopic particles of food to the animal. If you look closely at a sponge you would start to notice some supporting structures that look spiky; these are the spicules. Spicules are hard particles that help form the body of the sponge; they can be made of a variety of materials: calcium carbonate, silica, and a protein called spongin. <br />Florida became sponge fishing centers in the late 1800s after being settled by Greek immigrants. Florida’s cities thrived because of the sponge industry; both now have historical areas that you can visit to learn about sponge fishing. Sponge diving continues to this day, but no longer on a large scale. The decline of the industry began when spongers, ignoring the laws to preserve the resource, harvested sponges indiscriminately. Eventually, a deadly fungus destroyed all the sponge beds in the Florida Keys, and cheap synthetic sponges were invented to replace natural ones. Gradually and steadily, the sponge beds returned. <br />I have mixed feelings about the fisherman’s request to collect and sell natural sponges. It would be good in this economy to create jobs and if they were allowed to collect and sell natural sponges this would create jobs. On the other hand look at what happened in Florida, people ignored the laws to preserve the sponges and because of this eventually a deadly fungus destroyed all the sponge beds. Thankfully the sponge beds returned gradually. I think if the fishermen are approved to collect and sell natural sponges that the government will have to be firm on the laws, and make sure that the fishermen keep the laws. After all who wants to lose such an interesting animal, and maybe never see it again? <br />Works Cited BIBLIOGRAPHY Fresh from Florida. 2004. 2 March 2011 <http://www.fl-seafood.com/key_west.htm>.<br />