A Florida smalltooth sawfish met with an untimely—and likely agonizing—death on January 31. Witnesses saw the animal near the shoreline struggling to swim, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Law Enforcement officials; eventually the sawfish became stranded on a sandbar. When OLE and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Refuge officers responded, they saw that the fish was missing its rostrum, otherwise known as a saw.
According to the agency, the fish was found "along a shallow flat oceanside of Geiger Key, near Key West." They think the rostrum was taken between the evening of January 30 and the following morning.
The endangered fish can grow up to 16 feet in length, weighing up to several hundred pounds. The sawfish population began waning during the 20th century due to accidental captures and habitat loss, thanks to coastal development, according to NOAA. In 2003, the US distinct population segment was placed on the endangered species list.
In 2014, the non-US segment joined them, making it illegal to harm, harass, catch, or kill members of the animal species. They estimate that there are between 260 to 500 left swimming around U.S. waters. Some sawfish get caught up in fishermen's nets, known as bycatch; the NOAA has developed response guidelines to ensure the endangered fish are safely released back into the wild.
While smalltooth sawfish are one of five different species, they are not the only ones to be placed on the endangered species list. Largetooth sawfish are also on the list, but they have not been seen in the U.S. water for over 50 years.
The agency is offering a $20,000 reward for any information that leads to a civil penalty or criminal conviction and is asking anyone with possible information to call the NOAA Enforcement Hotline at (800) 853-1964, where tips can be left anonymously. However, if callers want to be eligible for the reward, they do need to leave a name and contact information.
READ MORE: Critically Endangered Sawfish Captured on Film in Florida's Ding National Wildlife Refuge
