Shelf: Structural or Disposable?

I have a older fiberglass cruiser with a solid fiberglass hull. There is a settee on either side in the main salon and just above the settee is a shelf as long as the settee. The shelf is tabbed to the hull. The bottom of the shelf is thin plywood that is compromised in spots. I can recognize that the shelf would add to stiffness of the hull in that area but is it needed or only there for the shelf. Anyway I would like to remove it if I can do that without causing structural problems.

 

It’s ease or difficulty in removal will let you know if it has any structural value!
From the pics, I doubt that it does much, even if it was originally meant to.
The bunk or seat or whatever is below it is doing most of the work in that area, I wouldn’t sweat over removing the shelf.
After removal, push/pound on it from the outside to see if it flexes.