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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
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Marine Science That Matters