Sawfish in Bangladesh: Safeguarding a species from the brink of extinction

With the recent research findings of an increased number of endangered Bengal tigers in Bangladesh's Sundarbans, many of us are now hopeful that this majestic creature might survive for generations to come. But what about the critically endangered sawfish that inhabit our waters, whose population is in even greater peril than that of the Bengal tigers?

Bangladesh remains one of the few places in Asia where sawfish are still found. On this International Sawfish Day, we must ask ourselves: Do they have a chance to survive in our waters?

Sawfish are a special kind of fish under the class of cartilaginous fish, of the class Chondrichthyes, that includes sharks, rays, and skates. It's easy to distinguish between sharks and rays by looking at the position of their gill slits -- openings used for breathing underwater. In sharks, the gill slits are positioned on the sides of their bodies, while in rays, they are located on the bottom of their body.

Photo: Wildlife Conservation Society

Sawfish, often referred to as "carpenter sharks," are a type of ray with a long, serrated snout. Their distinctive appearance, however, is also their downfall. The saw-like snout, while a formidable hunting tool, can easily become entangled in fishing gear, leading to injury or death. Moreover, the demand for their fins and meat, driven by false myths, such as them being a cure for cancer, leads to the retention of sawfish instead of safely releasing them back into the waters in compliance with the law, further endangering their survival.

Sawfish give birth to only a few live pups after reaching about seven to 10 years of age, which means that many female sawfish die in fishing nets before they can reproduce. The alarmingly high mortality rate for a critically endangered species is a grave concern, mainly due to the long time it takes for females to reach sexual maturity and their small litter size.

By engaging citizen scientists, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has been monitoring nine major fish landing sites in the coastal regions to collect data on sharks and rays. From 2016 to date, we have recorded landings of 18 largetooth sawfishes (Pristis pristis) in the landing sites and dry fish processing sites. The international demand for their fins and local demand, mainly for their meat, make sawfish a lucrative business opportunity, which is our biggest concern.

In Bangladesh, three of the five sawfish species can be found: the largetooth, the green, and the narrow/pointed sawfishes. Their presence highlights the region's ecological diversity, but there is an urgent need for conservation efforts to protect these vulnerable species.

These three species are protected in Bangladesh under the Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act-2012, and international trade in sawfish or their body parts is prohibited under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). These measures, along with ongoing conservation efforts, have shown some success in protecting these species, inspiring hope for their future.

According to WCS Bangladesh, "Every landing brings the sawfish closer to extinction from Bangladesh's water."

WCS Bangladesh programme's Marine Technical Advisor Syed Arif Azad said, "Once common during the 1900s and 1960s, sawfish have now become a rare encounter, even as dead specimens at the fish landing sites. Effective enforcement of legal regulations and a strongly motivated and inspired community of fishers and traders' community can help bring back a healthy sawfish population in our waters."

WCS Bangladesh engages with Citizen Science Fishermen Safety Network, who practise safely releasing protected sharks and rays, setting examples for others to follow. Recently, they safely released a critically endangered sharpnose guitarfish (Glaucostegus granulatus). Previously, they safely released endangered whale sharks (Rhincodon typus), critically endangered hawksbill sea turtle, vulnerable olive ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea), and least concern pantropical spotted dolphins (Stenella attenuata), inspiring others as role models to emulate.

WCS's outreach initiative, "Ocean Guardians – Protecting Threatened Sharks and Rays in Bangladesh", was conducted at major fish landing sites across the coastal region to engage fishers, fish traders and their communities, enabling them to identify protected species, understand their conservation importance, and learn safe release methods.

WCS's Educational Outreach Program Manager Nadim Parves said, "The outreach events allow for the connection and building of trust with local fishers, traders, and their communities, and they inspire them to release entangled protected sharks and rays safely."

Jakir Hossain, a fisher from Char Kukri Mukri, has done an extraordinary job by continuously safely releasing protected sharks and rays, including the rare and critically endangered Ganges sharks and endangered giant freshwater whiprays (Urogymnus Polylepis).

WCS's Country Director Md Zahangir Alom said, "Our efforts are ongoing through policy-level interventions and connecting fishers and traders through community engagement initiatives. However, as citizens, we are responsible for complying with laws, debunking false myths, and inspiring others to protect sawfish. We can choose what to catch, trade or eat, and the fate of sawfish depends on it."

GM Masum Billah is field coordinator and Robiul Kauser is field officer of Wildlife Conservation Society, Bangladesh Program.