See a sawfish? - Report it!

                The state of Florida is asking fishermen to report any sawfish encounters to help protect the endangered species.

Smalltooth sawfish were once found throughout Florida and were commonly encountered from Texas to North Carolina.

The current population is only 5 percent of what is was 200 years ago thanks mainly to habitat loss and damage caused by commercial and recreational fishermen.

Most fishermen don’t target the species but the fish’s saw shaped nose makes them easy to snag with almost any type of hook or net.

In 2003, the species was listed as endangered.

 Franklin County is doing its part to help educate boaters about the species – the county has educational signs about smalltooth sawfish at water access points in Franklin County telling fishermen the safest way to handle the sawfish if they are caught, and how to safely remove them from hooks or from nets.

If you should encounter sawfish while on the water, make sure to report it to the Florida Museum of Natural History.

We’ve posted the link to report your encounters on this story at oysterradio.com and on the Oyster Radio facebook page.

http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/sawfish/report-encounter/

http://live.oysterradio.com/