Temporal Reductions in the Distribution and Temporal Reductions in the Distribution and Abundance of U.S. Atlantic Sawfishes Abundance of U.S. Atlantic Sawfishes

((Pristis sppPristis spp.).)George H. BurgessGeorge H. Burgess andand Tobey H. CurtisTobey H. Curtis

Florida Program for Shark Research Florida Program for Shark Research Florida Museum of Natural History Florida Museum of Natural History

University of FloridaUniversity of Florida

““Like an axe murderer, he’s been in the headlines…There have been Like an axe murderer, he’s been in the headlines…There have been assertions that sawfish stalk bathers…and cut them in two. assertions that sawfish stalk bathers…and cut them in two.

According to old whaling journals, the saws hunted whales in packs According to old whaling journals, the saws hunted whales in packs and sliced them up like so much salami. There are even accounts of and sliced them up like so much salami. There are even accounts of

sawfish attacking men in dories -- after reducing the boats to sawfish attacking men in dories -- after reducing the boats to driftwooddriftwood.”.”

--Field and Stream (1959)--Field and Stream (1959)

Where have the Sawfish gone??Where have the Sawfish gone??

Where have the Sawfish gone??Where have the Sawfish gone??

Habitat Loss

Fishing Mortality

300 + records from the Indian River Lagoon

“an abundant species, permanently resident in the

Indian River.”

(Evermann and Bean, 1897)

Photo Tobey Curtis

Extirpated from the Indian River Lagoon

“The disappearance of this large ray from the Indian

River system has been dramatic.”

(Snelson and Williams, 1981)

Photo Tobey Curtis

EntanglementEntanglement

- Gillnets- Gillnets

- Longlines- Longlines

Sawfish Database SummarySawfish Database Summary

Pristis pectinataPristis pectinata 359359 765765

Pristis perottetiPristis perotteti 88 1313

PristisPristis sp. sp. 77 1010

TOTALTOTAL 374374 788788

# Records# Records # Specimens# Specimens

P. perotteti < 20 teeth each side of rostrum

P. pectinata 24+ teeth each side of rostrum

P. perotteti P. perotteti recordsrecords

1. 1940, Texas, 1 specimen

2. 1941, Florida, 1 specimen

3. 1941, Florida, 1 specimen

4. 1943, Texas, 6 specimens

5. 1943, Texas, 1 specimen

6. 1943, Texas, 1 specimen

7. 1943, Texas, 1 specimen

8. ????, Alabama?, 1 specimen

P. perotteti capture locations

(N=4)

?

P. pectinataP. pectinata

0

10

20

30

40

50

Nu

mb

er

of

Saw

fish

Numbers of Numbers of Pristis pectinataPristis pectinata captured by State captured by State 1782-2003 (N = 762)1782-2003 (N = 762)

681

19 1916

85 4 3 3 2 1 1 0

P. pectinata capture locations

1782-2003 (N=150)

N

P. pectinata capture locations

1900-2003 (N=125)

N

N

P. pectinata capture locations

1950-2003 (N=91)

P. pectinata capture locations

1985-2003 (N=52)

N

Recent Record: 18 July 2002

East of Savannah, Georgia

-- First sawfish captured north of Florida since 1963 --

Photo Tobey Curtis

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Num

ber

of S

awfis

h

H H

H

H

H

H

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Fish

Lan

ded

(mill

ions

lbs)

Numbers of Numbers of Pristis pectinataPristis pectinata captured 1782-2000 (N = 729) captured 1782-2000 (N = 729) and Atlantic/Gulf Fishery Landings 1880-2000and Atlantic/Gulf Fishery Landings 1880-2000

Pre-1900

1900-1919

1920-1939

1940-1959

1960-1979

1980-2000

SFNRC Recreational

Fishery Database (T. Schmidt)

Length Frequency of Length Frequency of Pristis pectinataPristis pectinata captured captured 1782-2003 (N = 106)1782-2003 (N = 106)

294 kg294 kg

460 cm TL460 cm TL

02468

1012141618202224

Nu

mb

er o

f S

awfi

sh

All Areas

Florida

Endangered Species ActEndangered Species Act

U.S. Federal Register April 1, 2003U.S. Federal Register April 1, 2003

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSACKNOWLEDGEMENTS- - Sawfish Status Review TeamSawfish Status Review Team - William Adams, Steve Branstetter, - William Adams, Steve Branstetter,

Jose Castro, Jennifer Lee, Jack MusickJose Castro, Jennifer Lee, Jack Musick

- Colin Simpfendorfer, Mote Marine Laboratory- Colin Simpfendorfer, Mote Marine Laboratory

- Tom Schmidt, South Florida Natural Resources Center- Tom Schmidt, South Florida Natural Resources Center

- All Museum curators who shared records- All Museum curators who shared records

- All other scientists and fishers who shared records- All other scientists and fishers who shared records

- Barbara O’Bannon, NMFS Fisheries Statistics Office- Barbara O’Bannon, NMFS Fisheries Statistics Office

- Rebecca Murray, Rachel Worthen, Kevin Coyne, Craig Knickle, - Rebecca Murray, Rachel Worthen, Kevin Coyne, Craig Knickle, and Jamie Barichivich (FLMNH) for early literature review, and Jamie Barichivich (FLMNH) for early literature review, database organization, and data analysisdatabase organization, and data analysis

- Funding from NOAA/NMFS to the National Shark Research - Funding from NOAA/NMFS to the National Shark Research ConsortiumConsortium