By Tonya Wiley

The population of smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata) in the United States experienced a dramatic decline during the 20th century due to overfishing and habitat loss. Given the decline, NOAA Fisheries listed the U.S. population of smalltooth sawfish as “endangered” under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 2003.  One of the best ways to track the effectiveness of ongoing management and conservation efforts is to collect information about the sawfish encounters of fishers, divers, and others.  Details of public sightings and captures of sawfish can substantially increase the data we have about the species, allowing us to make management and policy decisions that are reflective of the realities in the water.  Because of their countless hours on and in the water, we are seeking to partner with the angling and diving community to collect information about their sawfish interactions. 

For anglers to safely and legally release any sawfish accidentally caught while fishing:

• Release sawfish immediately
• Leave the sawfish, especially the gills, in the water at all times
• Never lift a sawfish from the water or drag it ashore
• Do not use gaffs or ropes to secure any captured sawfish
• Cut the line as close to the hook as safely possible
• Share the details of your sawfish catch with scientists
• Anglers should note that advertising fishing trips or charters aimed at catching endangered smalltooth sawfish can be considered “targeting,” which is a violation of the ESA.  Therefore, I strongly urge that the following conservation messaging be included in all social media posts regarding sawfish catches:  Sawfish are protected under the Endangered Species Act.  Help protect this critically endangered species by following NOAA Fisheries handling and release guidelines available at www.SawfishRecovery.org.

For divers to safely and legally enjoy encounters with sawfish:

• Keep your distance
• Avoid disturbing sawfish
• Never chase, feed, or touch them
• Share information about your sawfish encounters with scientists
• Divers should note that advertising expeditions aimed at encountering endangered smalltooth sawfish can be considered “targeting,” which is a violation of the ESA.  Therefore, I strongly urge that the following conservation messaging be included in all social media posts regarding sawfish observations:  Sawfish are protected under the Endangered Species Act.  Help protect this critically endangered species by following NOAA Fisheries viewing guidelines available at www.SawfishRecovery.org.

You can promote sawfish recovery by following these interaction guidelines and educating others about them. Please share the information about your sawfish encounters by visiting www.SawfishRecovery.org, calling 1-844-4SAWFISH, emailing sawfish@myfwc.com, or entering the details in the FWC Reporter App.  Your encounter reports will be used to track recovery of the population and steer research efforts, which will ultimately benefit the species and the areas in which you fish and dive.

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The grey reef shark has a streamlined, moderately stout body with a long, blunt snout and large, round eyes. The upper and lower jaws each have 13 or 14 teeth (usually 14 in the upper and 13 in the lower). The upper teeth are triangular with slanted cusps, while the bottom teeth have narrower, erect cusps. The tooth serrations are larger in the upper jaw than in the lower. The first dorsal fin is medium-sized, and there is no ridge running between it and the second dorsal fin. The pectoral fins are narrow and falcate (sickle-shaped). The coloration is grey above, sometimes with a bronze sheen, and white below. The entire rear margin of the caudal fin has a distinctive, broad, black band. There are dusky to black tips on the pectoral, pelvic, second dorsal, and anal fins. Individuals from the western Indian Ocean have a narrow, white margin at the tip of the first dorsal fin; this trait is usually absent from Pacific populations. Grey reef sharks that spend time in shallow water eventually darken in color, due to tanning. Most grey reef sharks are less than 1.9 m (6.2 ft) long. The maximum reported length is 2.6 m (8.5 ft) and the maximum reported weight is 33.7 kg (74 lb).

This is a very social species, often seen building “schools” of more than 100. They are active both during the day as well as at night. Social hierarchies and dominance varies depending on the habitat of various shark populations, but a social structure is almost always apparent. Because they are larger than most other species of Reef Shark, they are considered the most dominant species in the sensitive reef ecosystem.

Grey reef sharks feed mainly on bony fishes, with cephalopods such as squid and octopus being the second-most important food group, and crustaceans such as crabs and lobsters making up the remainder. The larger sharks take a greater proportion of cephalopods. These sharks hunt individually or in groups, and have been known to pin schools of fish against the outer walls of coral reefs for feeding. They excel at capturing fish swimming in the open, and they complement hunting whitetip reef sharks, which are more adept at capturing fish inside caves and crevices. Their sense of smell is extremely acute, being capable of detecting one part tuna extract in 10 billion parts of sea water. In the presence of a large quantity of food, grey reef sharks may be roused into a feeding frenzy; in one documented frenzy caused by an underwater explosion that killed several snappers, one of the sharks involved was attacked and consumed by the others.

See more of Jack Fung’s underwater photography on Instagram

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The population of smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata) in the United States experienced a dramatic decline during the 20th century due to overfishing and habitat loss. Given the decline, NOAA Fisheries listed the U.S. population of smalltooth sawfish as “endangered” under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 2003. Read more…

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Since 2004, SEVENSEAS Media has fostered an informal and non-partisan platform to promote understanding of key issues and challenges while building partnerships across an increasingly diverse group of marine conservation professionals and students.

Our mission is to promote communication and build partnerships across the global marine community and to identify and address gaps in the community’s work. SEVENSEAS Media achieves this through multimedia promotion and partnerships. The community consists of a diverse and growing group of participants, including non-governmental organizations, government agencies, foundations, bilateral and multilateral agencies, fellowship programs, independent consultants, and academia/students.

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