5.3 Smalltooth Sawfish (Pristis pectinata) Global John K. Carlson, Tonya R. Wiley, Kelcee Smith (2013b)
Smalltooth Sawfish Eastern Atlantic Subpopulation John K. Carlson, Tonya R. Wiley, Kelcee Smith (2013c)
Status: Critically Endangered A2cd
Status: Critically Endangered A2cd
Justification: The Smalltooth Sawfish (Pristis pectinata) has been wholly or nearly eliminated from large areas of its former range in the Atlantic Ocean by fishing (trawl and inshore netting) and habitat modification. Negative records from scientific surveys, anecdotal fisher observations, and fish landings data over its historic range infer a population reduction of ≥95% over a period of three generations (i.e. 1962 to present). The remaining populations are now small, and fragmented. The species can only be reliably encountered in the Bahamas (where suitable habitat is available) and the United States (Georgia south to Louisiana). It is rare but present in Honduras, Belize, Cuba, Sierra Leone, and possibly Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania. Threats to Smalltooth Sawfish still exist today in areas where sawfishes are unprotected and habitat modification (mangrove removal) and inshore netting still occurs.
Justification: The Smalltooth Sawfish (Pristis pectinata) were once a common component of the marine fauna of the Eastern Atlantic but now have been nearly eliminated primarily by fishing (trawl and inshore netting). The lack of records infers a population reduction of ≥80% over a period of three generations (i.e. 1962 to present) based on a reduction in extent of occurrence (EOO). There has been only one confirmed record for the region in the last 10 years (Sierra Leone in 2003) and it is not known if the population is recovering. There are unconfirmed records (Pristis sp.) from only two other countries (Guinea-Bissau in 2011, and Mauritania 2010). It is likely that areas around Guinea-Bissau represent the last areas where sawfishes can be found in western Africa. Threats to Smalltooth Sawfish are ongoing from inshore netting and habitat modification (mangrove removal).
Smalltooth Sawfish Western Atlantic Subpopulation Tonya R. Wiley, John K. Carlson, Kelcee Smith (2013) Status: Critically Endangered A2cd Justification: The Smalltooth Sawfish (Pristis pectinata) has been wholly or nearly eliminated from large areas of its former range in the Western Atlantic Ocean by fishing (trawl and inshore netting) and habitat modification. Negative records from scientific surveys, anecdotal fisher observations, and fish landings data over its historic range infer a population reduction ≥95% over a period of three generations (i.e. 1962 to present). While the population found in the United States appears to have stabilised with some evidence of increase, information from other areas is lacking. The remaining populations are inferred to be small and fragmented based on the lack of records. The species can only be reliably encountered in the Bahamas (where suitable habitat is available) and the United States (Georgia south to Louisiana). It is rare but present in Honduras, Belize, and Cuba. While historic threats to Smalltooth Sawfish have been reduced in places like the U.S., threats still exist today from areas where sawfishes are unprotected and habitat modification and inshore netting still occurs.
36 | Red List Status and Geographic Distribution
Figure 7. Range map of the Smalltooth Sawfish (Pristis pectinata). Range is extended out to the edge of the EEZ (200 nautical miles) to make it more visable. In reality the actual sawfish range is limited to shallower than the 100 m bathymetry. The presence of each sawfish species, as determined by expert consultation at a IUCN Sawfish workshop, follow the IUCN presence codes: Extant - the species is known or is presumed to presently occur in the area, Presence Uncertain - the species did occur in this area but due to no recent sightings its occurrence is unknown, Possible Extinct the species was formerly known, or was likely to occur in the area but is most likely now locally extinct.