SAWFISH: The world’s most endangered marine fish

FAST FACTS: EASTERN PACIFIC

Species:

• One of the world’s five sawfish species occurs in the Eastern Pacific, the Largetooth Sawfish
• The Eastern Pacific population of the Largetooth Sawfish can be considered distinct and isolated because of its geographic separation

Status: 

• The status of the Largetooth Sawfish in the Eastern Pacific is poorly known, but it has disappeared from a large part of its former range
• In the Eastern Pacific, the Largetooth Sawfish once ranged from Mexico to Peru
• Largetooth Sawfish may now possibly be extinct in several countries such as Mexico, Guatemala, Ecuador and Peru; there are no confirmed records in many parts of the region for the past decade
• The occurrence of Largetooth Sawfish in Peru may have represented seasonal migration from the species’ core range in Central America
• Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula, which encompasses the Corcovado National Park’s Rio Sirena and the Térraba-Sierpe Wetland is thought to host a remnant population of sawfishes
• Artisanal fishers of Golfo Dulce (Costa Rica) report they have not seen sawfish in decades
• Largetooth Sawfish were known to exist in Panama’s Pacific-draining man-made Lake Bayano in 1982, but there are no recent records from Panama
• In Mexico, the catch of sawfishes is now prohibited

Biology:

• The Largetooth Sawfish occurs in marine and freshwater. It was historically reported from a number of freshwater systems in the Eastern Pacific
• Largetooth Sawfish are born at 70-90 cm in length and can grow to over 6.5 m
• Largetooth Sawfish reach sexual maturity at around 8-10 years old and live at least 44 years
• Largetooth Sawfish give birth to 1-13 young

Threats:

• In the Eastern Pacific, Largetooth Sawfish were caught by gillnets, longlines and trawl nets
• Threats such as artisanal net fishing, shark longlining, and substantial mangrove loss are ongoing throughout the species’ historical range in the Eastern Pacific
• Ongoing threats mean that any remnant populations are likely still in decline

Amazing facts:

• There are archaeological remains and cultural depictions of sawfishes by the Cocle people (circa 150 BC to 700 CE) of Panama
•  In the Eastern Pacific, Largetooth Sawfish meat was used for human consumption fresh, frozen or salted or for ornamental purposes

Opportunities:

• Poorly-studied parts of the Eastern Pacific with suitable sawfish habitat (e.g. the Darién, Panama) require targeted surveys to locate any remnant populations
• Panama, Colombia, Ecuador and Costa Rica have been identified as priority countries in need of legal protection of Largetooth Sawfish