Smalltooth Sawfish

Species: 

Pristis pectinata

IUCN Status: 

Critically Endangered
Photo: David Iliff, taken under CC-BY-SA 3.0

Bycatch is the most serious issue threatening the smalltooth sawfish today (Seitz & Poulakis 2006; NMFS 2009). The historical range of the species stretched along the coast from New York to Texas, but is now restricted to the coastal waters of Florida (Seitz & Poulakis 2006). Smalltooth sawfish populations have declined so drastically that an estimate by the National Marine Fisheries Service put the current number of animals at less than 5% of the individuals present during European colonization (NMFS 2009). Because of its elongated, saw-like rostrum, the smalltooth sawfish is at particular risk for accidental entanglement, and is often difficult to free from gear without causing injury or death (Seitz & Poulakis 2006; Martin 2005). Even if a fish is successfully released, the loss or damage of the teeth protruding from the rostrum, or the wounding of the rostrum itself, can result in decreased ability to feed (Seitz & Poulakis 2006).

The smalltooth sawfish is at risk of extinction throughout its range (NMFS 2009). This species, like other sawfishes, is slow to grow and to mature, and produces few offspring per generation (Seitz & Poulakis 2006). This means it has been exceptionally difficult for the population to recover after being negatively impacted by excessive bycatch in the 1800s and 1900s (Seitz & Poulakis 2006). The plight of the smalltooth sawfish mirrors that of the other six sawtooth species, each of which is currently threatened by bycatch-related issues and is in danger of extinction. Three species (Pristis clavata, pristis zijsron, and Anoxypristis cuspidata) are listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN; the other three species have not yet been assessed.

In the US, possible mitigation measures are (1) reducing human interactions with the smalltooth sawfish population, and (2) reducing habitat destruction and fragmentation as well as restoring habitat in some areas. Specifics include a public awareness campaign and training fishermen in the safe handling and release of sawfish (NMFS 2009).

References

Martin, RA. 2005. Conservation of freshwater and euryhaline elasmobranchs: a review. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 85(5):1049-1073.

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). 2009. Recovery plan for smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata). Prepared by the Smalltooth Sawfish Recovery Team for the National Marine Fisheries Service, Silver Spring, Maryland. PDF available http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/prp/pdfs/recovery/smalltoothsawfish.pdf. Accessed 31 October 2012.

Seitz, JC & GR Poulakis. 2006. Anthropogenic effects on the smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata) in the United States. Marine Pollution Bulletin 52:1533-1540.

Bycatch Threat: 

Pots and traps, trawls, gillnets, seines, trammel nets

Population: 

Decreasing
Atlantic coastal waters of Florida

Type: 

Fish

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Related Field Studies

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Central Mediterranean Sea Hooks-and-Lines Alternative bait Skates/Rays Bait size did not have a significant effect on stingray catch rates Swordfish Field study in the wild Reducing longline bycatch: the larger the hook, the fewer the stingrays
Central Mediterranean Sea Hooks-and-Lines Visual deterrents Skates/Rays Light attractants did not have a significant effect on stringray catch rate Swordfish Field study in the wild Reducing longline bycatch: the larger the hook, the fewer the stingrays
Equatorial Atlantic Ocean Hooks-and-Lines Circle hooks Bony Fishes, Skates/Rays, Demochelys coriacea (Leatherback sea turtle) Catch rates were lower for leatherback sea turtles and pelagic stingrays but not sailfish when circle hooks were used Tuna Bigeye tuna had higher catch rates when circle hooks were used Field study in the wild A comparison of circle hook and J hook performance in a western equatorial Atlantic Ocean pelagic longline fishery
Equatorial Atlantic Ocean Hooks-and-Lines Circle hooks Bony Fishes, Skates/Rays, Demochelys coriacea (Leatherback sea turtle) Sailfish, pelagic stingrays, and leatherback sea turtles, had higher catch rates on J-style hooks Tuna Bigeye and yellowfin tuna had higher survival rates when circle hooks were used Field study in the wild A comparison of circle hook and J hook performance in a western equatorial Atlantic Ocean pelagic longline fishery
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Macduff Marine Aquarium, UK Non-specific Electromagnetic deterrents Sharks, Skates/Rays, Elasmobranchs Species significantly avoided magnets n/a n/a Study in the lab The effects of neodymium-iron-boron permanent magnets on the behavior of the small spotted catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula) and the thornback skate (Raja clavata)
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Costa Rica Hooks-and-Lines Sharks, Skates/Rays, Bony Fishes, Elasmobranchs, Sea Turtles mahi-mahi, tunas, marlins, sharks Summary study Impact of Costa Rican longline fishery on its bycatch of sharks, stingrays, bony fish and olive ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea)
Central Mediterranean Sea Hooks-and-Lines Circle hooks Skates/Rays 16/0 circle hooks significantly reduced stingray catch Swordfish unknown Field study in the wild Reducing longline bycatch: the larger the hook, the fewer the stingrays
Northwest Africa Trawls Excluder devices Skates/Rays Allowed 100% of rays to escape Sardinella None reported Field study in the wild Bycatch and release of pelagic megafauna in industrial trawler fisheries off Northwest Africa
Brazil Hooks-and-Lines Circle hooks Sharks, Skates/Rays CPUE was significantly higher for night, blue, silky, and oceanic whitetip sharks on circle hooks. tuna (pelagic) and sharks (bottom) None reported for pelagic longlines. On bottom longlines, CPUE was higher for blacknose and nurse sharks and southern stingrays; no CPUE difference between hook type; more tiger and blacknose sharks were alive at haulback with circle hooks Field study in the wild Fishing gear modifications to reduce elasmobranch mortality in pelagic and bottom longline fisheries off Northeast Brazil
Northern Australia Trawls Excluder devices Skates/Rays Reduced ray catches by 17.7% Prawns Reduced the proportion of soft and damaged prawns by 41.6% and reduced catches of tiger prawns by 6.5% Field study in the wild The impact of turtle excluder devices and bycatch reduction devices on diverse tropical marine communities in Australia's northern prawn trawl fishery
Northwest Africa Trawls Excluder devices Skates/Rays Allowed 75% of manta rays to escape Sardinella None reported Field study in the wild Bycatch and release of pelagic megafauna in industrial trawler fisheries off Northwest Africa
Hawaii Hooks-and-Lines Deep sets Sharks, Skates/Rays No differences in catches between experimental and control sets Tuna and swordfish Decreased catch of wahoo, dolphinfish, blue and striped marlin, and shortbill species, increased catch of sickle pomfret and opah, and did not affect catch of sharks and pelagic sting rays Field study in the wild Effects of eliminating shallow hooks from tuna longline sets on target and non-target species in the Hawaii-based pelagic tuna fishery