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International Sawfish Day: Protecting Florida’s endangered species

Writer: Paul Dolan
Published: Updated:
sawfish
Photo by NOAA Fisheries.

International Sawfish Day is Oct. 17, and the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission wants Southwest Florida residents to know how they can help the critically endangered species.

According to the FWC, the species’ population dropped off substantially from overfishing but used to thrive across Florida’s coastal waters.

For close to two decades, the smalltooth sawfish has been protected by the Endangered Species Act. Fortunately, optimism may be growing since the species population has increased recently.

The Sawfish Conservation Society sells T-shirts representing the five different species. Profits from T-shirt sales go directly to furthering education, research and conservation. Click here for more information on the shirts aiding the species’ conservation.

If you see or catch a sawfish while fishing for other species, call 1-844-472-9347 or email sawfish@myfwc.com.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries, the five different species are named the smalltooth, largetooth, dwarf, green and narrow sawfish.

Click here to report a sighting to FWC. These reports are some of the building blocks scientists use to bolster their research.

Click here to learn more information about the species from FWC.

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