Protected Sawfish
Sawfishes, like sharks, skates and rays, belong to a group of fish called elasmobranchs, whose skeletons have no bones and are instead made of cartilage. Sawfishes are actually modified rays with a shark-like body and gills on their undersides. Sawfishes get their name from their distinct saw-like snouts (rostra) that are lined with teeth. Sawfishes use their rostra to locate, stun, and kill their prey. Their diets include mostly fish but some species also eat worms, crustaceans (shrimp and crabs), snails, or even squid-like cuttlefish.
Sawfishes are generally long lived and late maturing. They are ovoviviparous, meaning the mother holds the eggs inside of her until the young are ready to be born. Other life history characteristics (e.g. age at maturity and maximum age) vary by species.
Sawfishes live in shallow coastal and estuarine habitats, although some species may also use rivers or other freshwater environments. Sawfishes prefer muddy or sandy bottoms.
There are five known species of sawfish. It is difficult to tell the difference between the various species because they look very similar. Species can be identified by: (1) counting the number of teeth on the snout or rostrum, (2) looking at the size and shape of the rostrum, (3) checking the location of the dorsal fin in relation to the pectoral fins, or (4) looking at the shape of the lower lobe of the tail (caudal fin).
Although all five species of sawfish are listed under the Endangered Species Act, only the largetooth sawfish (Pristis pristis) and the U.S. Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata) have been found in U.S. waters. While the smalltooth sawfish is still found, mostly in southwest Florida, the largetooth sawfish hasn’t been observed in over 50 years.
Helpful Resources
Contact Us
For more information about sawfish, please contact:
Adam Brame
Phone: (727) 209-5958
E-mail: Adam.Brame@noaa.gov
Report Sawfish Sightings
To report a sawfish sighting or encounter please contact:
The Fish and Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission
Phone: (941) 255-7403
E-mail: Sawfish@MyFWC.com
Or visit: http://myfwc.com/
Key Documents
ESA listing rule for five species of sawfish (79 FR 73978).
ESA listing rule for largetooth sawfish
(76 FR 40822).
ESA listing rule for the U.S. DPS of smalltooth sawfish (68 FR 15674).
Smalltooth sawfish critical habitat
(74 FR 45353).
Smalltooth sawfish critical habitat maps and shape file data.
Angler Guidance and Other Outreach
On April 1, 2003, NOAA Fisheries listed the U.S. DPS of smalltooth sawfish as endangered under the ESA (68 FR 15674). Learn more about this species, its habitat and threats, and recovery efforts.
On December 12, 2014, NOAA Fisheries issued a final rule that included a change in the scientific name for largetooth sawfish. The largetooth sawfish was already listed as endangered on July 12, 2011 (76 FR 40822).
On December 12, 2014, NOAA Fisheries listed the dwarf sawfish as endangered under the ESA (79 FR 73978). Learn more about this species, its threats, and the ESA listing.
On December 12, 2014, NOAA Fisheries listed the green sawfish as endangered under the ESA (79 FR 73978). Learn more about this species, its threats, and the ESA listing.
On December 12, 2014, NOAA Fisheries listed the green sawfish as endangered under the ESA (79 FR 73978). Learn more about this species, its threats, and the ESA listing.