The world's second known reef of glass sponges was found just 35 miles off the coast of Washington.

In June, UW oceanography professor Paul Johnson was the chief scientist aboard the Thomas G. Thompson ship when the reef was discovered.

The new reef is located west of Grays Harbor. Johnson says the reef is at least 2,000 feet wide, 10 feet high and in a depth of about 650 feet of water. It is a breeding ground for rockfish, prawns, lobster, crabs and zooplankton.

"It's like a little oasis," Johnson said.

He explained that these particular sponges are unique because they are made of silica, the same material as beach sand. They are the only sponges that can actually build new reefs, and they live for 100-200 years. When a sponge dies, it hardens, and a new sponge grows on top of the previous generation.

Johnson was motivated to look for the sponges after examining the other known glass sponge location in British Columbia. He theorized that they could exist off the coast of Washington as well.

In order to find out if he was correct, he utilized six days of ship time on the Thompson and funding from the UW's Washington Sea Grant.

After four days of searching and a total cost of nearly $500,000, Johnson and his crew of undergrads, several technicians and one retired Catholic monk discovered the rare glass sponges.

While difficult to find now, Johnson said this same species of sponges was once dominant on earth. Fossils of the ancient sponges can be found throughout Europe, left over from the time when the continent was covered with water.

Until a recent discovery in Canada, scientists believed that the sponges were pushed into extinction when diatoms (single-celled algae) evolved and consumed all of the silica in the shallow water.

Johnson said the discoveries have proven the sponges did not die off but moved to deeper water, below sunlight and away from silica-consuming diatoms.

"The vibrant biological ecosystem of the reef appears to be influenced by a large amount of methane gas that is seeping up through the reef," Johnson said. "[However, at this time], we don't know what it takes for them to live down there."

To answer this question and to learn more about the sponges, Johnson is requesting more funding for further research.

Sea Grant Director Penny Dalton said the recent discovery is a success story; she is looking forward to further study of the reef.

In addition to research, Johnson said he would like to see the reef protected from fishing. Trawl fishing — the process of dragging a net across the ocean floor — is particularly hazardous.

While there were no fishermen trawling when Johnson and his crew were there, the practice is not specifically forbidden and could potentially destroy the entire reef.