JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — It’s a rare catch and an important one for the species’ future.
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The University of North Florida Shark Biology Program caught, tagged, and released the first sawfish recorded in its 16 years of surveying shark populations in Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia.
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The sawfish was measured at 9.9 feet and caught somewhere in the St. Marys River on Tue., July 16.
This was an important catch. Sawfish were historically found from Texas to as far north as New York, but populations have reached critical numbers. Tangled in fishing gear, overfished in trophy fishing, and habitat decline are all contributing factors.
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“Sawfish were known to live in Northeast Florida before the population decline led to the species being listed as endangered,” said Dr. Jim Gelsleichter, shark biology program director at UNF said. “The reoccurrence of the sawfish in our area is a positive sign of population recovery.
UNF describes the smalltooth sawfish as a species of ray, which are close relatives of sharks. Sawfish are known for having an elongated, sawlike snout (known as a rostrum), which they slash laterally through the water to stun and impale prey species.
The smalltooth sawfish was the first marine fish and first elasmobranch (sharks and rays) to be listed as endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 2003.
Even though catching and tagging the sawfish is a positive sign of recovery, UNF warns that the population remains at risk.
“There have been recent reports of sawfish dying in the Florida Keys because of an unknown ‘spinning and whirling’ disease,” a press release read. “So far this year, 53* sawfish deaths due to the disease have been reported.”
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The sawfish is not allowed to be targeted and fished for. If local anglers accidentally catch one they should disentangle the fish from any fishing line and cut the line as close to the hook as possible. UNF said not to remove the animal from the water or try handling it. It’s also encouraged to document the catch, approximate its size, and the water depth.
Anyone who catches or sees a sawfish anywhere in the U.S. is encouraged to report their observations to the U.S. Sawfish Recovery Team by visiting www.SawfishRecovery.org, calling 1-844-4SAWFISH, emailing sawfish@myfwc.com, or by submitting the information through the FWC Report app.
* The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has updated sawfish deaths to 54 in 2024.
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