The sea sponge is scientifically classified as an animal (kingdom Animalia), therefore maybe it would be considered unkosher, as seafood. On the other hand, its phylum Porifera is distinct and primitive, containing the only non-microscopic animals with no tissues, organs, or nervous system. In the last regard it is similar to plants, which have no nervous system (although they do have tissues) so perhaps they are kosher? However a sponge cannot be plant because it's not a producer (no chlorophyll, no photosynthesis) which is the sine qua non of the plant kingdom.
So, are sponges kosher?
Answer
The Yerushalmi (Shabbos 7:2) mentions sponges (ספוג) in a group of items where cutting them causes them to grow back even more, and therefore declares that someone who does so has performed two categories of work, "reaping" and "planting." These melachos refer to plants, not animals, so I would think that indicates that the sponge is viewed as a plant (probably because it doesn't move around).
That said, I haven't found this Yerushalmi cited as halachah.
Another possible data point, though, might be that in the course of explaining when a sponge may or may not be used on Shabbos, Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 320:18) cites Aruch, who explains that the sponge sits atop the head of a large fish (a whale, maybe?) and covers its eyes when it sticks its head out of the water, so that it doesn't see ships and wreck them. Mishnah Berurah there (320:45) alternately describes a sponge as "a wool-like material found on beaches." Both of these descriptions suggest that they saw sponges as inanimate or vegetable matter rather than an independent life-form.
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