Endangered Sawfishes (Pristis spp.): U.S. Perspective

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Endangered Sawfishes (Pristis spp.)
U.S. Perspective
George H. Burgess, Joana Fernández de
Carvalho, Rui Coelho, Cathy Bester and Jason
Romine Florida Program for Shark
Research Florida Museum of Natural
History University of Florida
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Sawfish of the World
Family Pristidae

• Six species in the world
• Anoxypristis cuspidata (IndoPac)
• Pristis microdon (IndoPacific)
• Pristis zijsron (IndoPacific)
• Pristis clavata (Australia)
• Pristis perotteti (Atl-IndoPac)
• Pristis pectinata (Atl-IndoPac)

All included as Critically endangered in the
IUCN red list
Legislation only applicable to the trade between
countries
Need of protection within their own countries!!
Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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Sawfish in U.S.
Two species of sawfish in U.S.
Smalltooth sawfish Pristis pectinata 24 teeth
on each side of rostrum
Largetooth sawfish Pristis perotteti lt 20 teeth
on each side of rostrum

• Gulf Coast
• Atlantic Coast

• Gulf Coast
• Pacific Coast

Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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Life history Pristis perotteti

• Diet
• Small schooling fish
• e.g. mullet and herring
• Benthic macrofauna
• e.g. crustaceans

Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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Life history Pristis perotteti

• Age and Growth
• Size at birth 76 cm
• Max size 640 cm
• Size at maturity 300cm
• Age at maturity 10 years
• Lifespan roughly 30 years

Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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Life history Pristis perotteti

• Reproduction
• Internal fertilization
• Ovoviviparous (1-13 young)?
• mean of 7.3 young
• Gestation period 5 months
• Reproductive cycle every 2 years

Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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Life history Pristis pectinata

• Diet
• Small schooling fish
• e.g. mullet and herring
• Benthic macrofauna
• e.g. crustaceans

Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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Life history Pristis pectinata

• Age and Growth
• Size at birth 80 cm
• Max size 760 cm
• (rarely larger than 540 cm)?
• Size at maturity 340cm
• Age at maturity 33 yrs 19 yrs
• Lifespan 30 to 60 yrs

Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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Life history Pristis pectinata

• Reproduction
• Lack of Pristis pectinata data use
  Pristis perotteti data
• Internal fertilization
• Ovoviviparous (1-13 individuals)?
• Mean of 7.3 individuals
• Gestation period 5 months
• Reproductive cycle every 2 years

Urgent need of P. pectinata reproduction data
Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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Threats
Fishing mortality
During the last century
Habitat loss
Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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Threats Fishing mortality
Fishery entanglement

• gillnets
• longlines
• trawl nets

Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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Threats Fishing mortality

• commercial fishery

Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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Threats Fishing mortality

• recreational fishery

Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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Threats Fishing mortality

• injuries and saw removal

Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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Threats Habitat degradation
The disappearance of this large ray from the
Indian River system has been dramatic. (Snelson
Williams 1981)?

• Huge urban development in twentieth century

• Mangrove degradation

Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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Pristis perotteti US records
Largetooth sawfish Pristis perotteti
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
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Pristis pectinata US records
Number of Pristis pectinata per state 1782-2008
(n 6415)?
Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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Pristis pectinata US records
Pristis pectinata 1782-2000 n 3435
Distributed from Texas to New York (seasonal
migrations)
- 50 distribution - 90 distribution - 99
distribution
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Pristis pectinata US records
Pristis pectinata 1964-2000 n 2975
High decline in N W distribution
- 50 distribution - 90 distribution - 99
distribution
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Pristis pectinata US records
Pristis pectinata 1990-2000 n 2767
Currently the population is practically limited
to the Florida coast
- 50 distribution - 90 distribution - 99
distribution
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Pristis pectinata Listing history
First sawfish captured N of FL since 1963
18 July 2002 off Savannah, Georgia
Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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Pristis pectinata Listing history
Endangered Species Act (ESA)? April 1, 2003
1st marine fish to be included in the ESA

• Illegal to
• harm
• harass
• handle

Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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Pristis pectinata 1) Listing process
1999 - Petition to NMFS (National Marine
Fisheries Service) to list as endangered the
North American sawfish populations of Pristis
pectinata and P. perotetti
2000 - NMFS determined the petition presented
enough information to initiate a
review of the status of only P. pectinata
Declared North American population is in
danger of extinction
2003 - P. pectinata is included in the Endangered
Species Act - ESA
2003 - Smalltooth Sawfish Recovery Team was
formed
Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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Pristis pectinata 2) Recovery planning
2003-2007 Recovery planning

• 2007 The Smalltooth sawfish recovery team
  presents the Smalltooth Recovery Plan
• Explains the necessary actions for the full
  recovery of the species
• Prevent or reduce fishing injury and mortality
• Monitor current population
• Identify and protect critical habitats

1) National Sawfish Encounters Database 2)
Research 3) Outreach and education
Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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1) National Sawfish Encounter Database (NSED)?

• Combines five recent and historic databases
• All existing information regarding U.S. sawfish
  is held in one place
• Why record encounters?
• Monitoring recovery
• Defining critical habitat
• Environmental impact planning/permitting

Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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1) National Sawfish Encounter Database (NSED)?

• How are the encounter data gathered?
• Recent encounters
• telephone
• on-line questionnaire
• e-mail
• Historic encounters
• museum records
• newspapers
• archived photos

Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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1) NSED- Preliminary Data
1782 to 7 Nov. 2008
Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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1) NSED- Preliminary Data
Five recovery regions
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Distribution by length class (PD)
Number of P. pectinata
cm
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1) NSED)- Distribution by Maturity Stage (PD)
Neonates (lt1 m TL)? n 706
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1) NSED)- Distribution by Maturity Stage (PD)
Juveniles (1-2 m TL)? n 2343
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1) NSED)- Distribution by Maturity Stage (PD)
Subadults (2-3.3 m TL)? n 1003
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1) NSED)- Distribution by Maturity Stage (PD)
Adults (gt3.4 m TL) n n 894
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1) NSED- Depth Distribution by Maturity Stage (PD)
Presence in low n
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1) NSED)- Distribution by Maturity Stage - Depth
(PD)
Distribution by size and depth
? Adults ? Subadults ? Juveniles ? Neonates
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1) NSED)- Distribution by Maturity Stage - Depth
(PD)
? Adults ? Subadults ? Juveniles ? Neonates
Distribution by size and depth
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2) Research
Indian River Lagoon Monitoring
iii

• important historic sawfish area
• currently present but in low abundance levels

Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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2) Research - Indian River Lagoon Monitoring

• four regions
• four randomly selected stations/region
• Region 2 (Banana River)
• no-motor / no take zone
• pristine
• first time sampling in area
• possible P. pectinata presence

Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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2) Research - Indian River Lagoon Monitoring

• Sampling gear
• gill nets
• - 5 ft deep 100 ft long
• short longline
• - 50 hook sets
• - 14/0 16/0 circle hooks
• hour-long monitored soaks

Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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2) Research - Indian River Lagoon Monitoring

• Goals
• estimate abundance of sawfish within sampling
  area
• determine habitat use and preference within the
  region

Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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2) Research - Indian River Lagoon Monitoring

• tag juvenile sawfish with acoustic tags using
  an acoustic array
• determine movement patterns within the IRL

Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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2) Research - Indian River Lagoon Monitoring

• Goals
• tag adult sawfish with satellite pop-off tags
• determine seasonal movement patterns and habitat
  utilization in the Atlantic Ocean and IRL

Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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2) Research - Satellite tagging adults sawfish

• Objectives
• tag adult sawfish with satellite pop-off tags in
  the Florida Keys
• determine seasonal movement patterns and habitat
  utilization in the Atlantic Ocean and IRL

Collaborators John Carlson (NMFS) Colin
Simpfendorfer Tonya Wiley Dean Grubbs (FSU)
Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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3) Outreach and education

• develop and produce smalltooth sawfish
  encounter reporting
  signs Safe release guidelines
• placed at 150 marinas and boat launching ramps

Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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3) Outreach and education
Sawfish Safe Release Guidelines

• Teach fishers how to minimize damage caused by
  capture
• Teach how to safely free a sawfish

Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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3) Outreach and education
Sawfish Safe Release Guidelines

• If hooked
• keep sawfish in the water at all times
• if it can be done safely, untangle line if
  wrapped around saw and remove as much of the
  line as possible
• cut line as close to the hook as possible
• do not handle animal or attempt to remove hooks
  on saw unless you have a long-handled
  de-hooker
• DO NOT REMOVE
  THE SAW!

Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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3) Outreach and education
Sawfish Safe Release Guidelines
Sawfish Safe Release Guidelines

• If tangled in a net
• make every effort to free animal from net with
  minimal additional stress or injury
• keep sawfish - especially gills - in water as
  much as possible
• try to remove all netting and release the animal
  quicklyDO NOT REMOVE THE SAW!

Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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3) Outreach and education

• Develop and distribute 30,000 brochures
• ? biology and ecology
• ? safe and release handling guidelines
• ? reporting procedure
• ? conservation

Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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3) Outreach and education
Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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3) Outreach and education
Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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3) Outreach and education

• Develop and maintain sawfish website
• Information about
• ? sawfish conservation
• ? safe and release handling guidelines
• ? reporting procedure (online questionnaire)?
• ? how to get involved

www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/sharks/sawfish
Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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3) Outreach and education
Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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3) Outreach and education

• Project Shark Awareness teacher workshops
• ? workshops in classroom and laboratory
• ? teaching material online
• hands-on material provided for class
  interaction (jaws, spines, teeth, etc.)

• Media
• newspaper and magazine interviews
• television and radio interviews

Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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3) Outreach and education
Number of Reports by Year As the outreach effort
has been increasing (end of 2003) the feedback
has been increasing as well
Introduction
NSED
Research
Outreach
Threats
US history
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Conclusions?
Sawfish are very vulnerable to overfishing

• Presence of the saw
• Entanglement in fishing gear very easily
• Removal of the saw for trading as a souvenir
• Biologic limitations
• Slow growth rates
• Late maturation and low fecundity
• Capacity of recovery from population depletion
  very slow

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Conclusions
Sawfish conservation/management in U.S.A.

• Lack of biologic data
• Need to further evaluate status of the
  populations
• Conservation measurements may not have arrived
  in time for P. perotteti in the USA
• Need of research
• Determine reproduction parameters
• Determine movement patterns
• Cooperation between countries
• Sharing of stocks / communication between regions

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Acknowledgments

• Collaborators
• John Carlson (NMFS)
• Matthew McDavitt
• Shelly Norton (NMFS)
• Gregg Poulakis (FWC)
• Jason Seitz
• Colin Simpfendorfer
• Tonya Wiley
• All the people who reported their sawfish
  encounter

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National Sawfish Encounter Database (NSED)?
All the presented information is available at
www.flmnh.ufl.edu
Plus How to get involved in the recovery of
sawfish