Temporal Reductions in the Distribution and Abundance of U.S. Atlantic Sawfishes (Pristis spp.)...
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Transcript of Temporal Reductions in the Distribution and Abundance of U.S. Atlantic Sawfishes (Pristis spp.)...
Temporal Reductions in the Distribution and Temporal Reductions in the Distribution and Abundance of U.S. Atlantic Sawfishes Abundance of U.S. Atlantic Sawfishes
((Pristis sppPristis spp.).)George H. BurgessGeorge H. Burgess andand Tobey H. CurtisTobey H. Curtis
Florida Program for Shark Research Florida Program for Shark Research Florida Museum of Natural History Florida Museum of Natural History
University of FloridaUniversity of Florida
““Like an axe murderer, he’s been in the headlines…There have been Like an axe murderer, he’s been in the headlines…There have been assertions that sawfish stalk bathers…and cut them in two. assertions that sawfish stalk bathers…and cut them in two.
According to old whaling journals, the saws hunted whales in packs According to old whaling journals, the saws hunted whales in packs and sliced them up like so much salami. There are even accounts of and sliced them up like so much salami. There are even accounts of
sawfish attacking men in dories -- after reducing the boats to sawfish attacking men in dories -- after reducing the boats to driftwooddriftwood.”.”
--Field and Stream (1959)--Field and Stream (1959)
300 + records from the Indian River Lagoon
“an abundant species, permanently resident in the
Indian River.”
(Evermann and Bean, 1897)
Photo Tobey Curtis
Extirpated from the Indian River Lagoon
“The disappearance of this large ray from the Indian
River system has been dramatic.”
(Snelson and Williams, 1981)
Photo Tobey Curtis
Sawfish Database SummarySawfish Database Summary
Pristis pectinataPristis pectinata 359359 765765
Pristis perottetiPristis perotteti 88 1313
PristisPristis sp. sp. 77 1010
TOTALTOTAL 374374 788788
# Records# Records # Specimens# Specimens
P. perotteti P. perotteti recordsrecords
1. 1940, Texas, 1 specimen
2. 1941, Florida, 1 specimen
3. 1941, Florida, 1 specimen
4. 1943, Texas, 6 specimens
5. 1943, Texas, 1 specimen
6. 1943, Texas, 1 specimen
7. 1943, Texas, 1 specimen
8. ????, Alabama?, 1 specimen
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Numbers of Numbers of Pristis pectinataPristis pectinata captured by State captured by State 1782-2003 (N = 762)1782-2003 (N = 762)
681
19 1916
85 4 3 3 2 1 1 0
Recent Record: 18 July 2002
East of Savannah, Georgia
-- First sawfish captured north of Florida since 1963 --
Photo Tobey Curtis
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Numbers of Numbers of Pristis pectinataPristis pectinata captured 1782-2000 (N = 729) captured 1782-2000 (N = 729) and Atlantic/Gulf Fishery Landings 1880-2000and Atlantic/Gulf Fishery Landings 1880-2000
Pre-1900
1900-1919
1920-1939
1940-1959
1960-1979
1980-2000
SFNRC Recreational
Fishery Database (T. Schmidt)
Length Frequency of Length Frequency of Pristis pectinataPristis pectinata captured captured 1782-2003 (N = 106)1782-2003 (N = 106)
294 kg294 kg
460 cm TL460 cm TL
02468
1012141618202224
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awfi
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All Areas
Florida
Endangered Species ActEndangered Species Act
U.S. Federal Register April 1, 2003U.S. Federal Register April 1, 2003
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSACKNOWLEDGEMENTS- - Sawfish Status Review TeamSawfish Status Review Team - William Adams, Steve Branstetter, - William Adams, Steve Branstetter,
Jose Castro, Jennifer Lee, Jack MusickJose Castro, Jennifer Lee, Jack Musick
- Colin Simpfendorfer, Mote Marine Laboratory- Colin Simpfendorfer, Mote Marine Laboratory
- Tom Schmidt, South Florida Natural Resources Center- Tom Schmidt, South Florida Natural Resources Center
- All Museum curators who shared records- All Museum curators who shared records
- All other scientists and fishers who shared records- All other scientists and fishers who shared records
- Barbara O’Bannon, NMFS Fisheries Statistics Office- Barbara O’Bannon, NMFS Fisheries Statistics Office
- Rebecca Murray, Rachel Worthen, Kevin Coyne, Craig Knickle, - Rebecca Murray, Rachel Worthen, Kevin Coyne, Craig Knickle, and Jamie Barichivich (FLMNH) for early literature review, and Jamie Barichivich (FLMNH) for early literature review, database organization, and data analysisdatabase organization, and data analysis
- Funding from NOAA/NMFS to the National Shark Research - Funding from NOAA/NMFS to the National Shark Research ConsortiumConsortium