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Conservation Headlines
5/2/2026
Biologists: Decline of Sharp-Snouted Fish Signals Trouble
By Amanda Onion, abcnews.com
Populations of the smalltooth sawfish have declined by as much as 99 percent in the last 50 years in U.S. waters. (National Aquarium in Baltimore)
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The smalltooth sawfish grows up to 20 feet in length and 1,300 pounds in weight and brandishes a long, chainsaw-like bill lined with two rows of razor-sharp teeth. Etchings from the 19th century even depict the massive creatures viciously sawing through the side planks of fishing vessels.
But the real demeanor of the fish, which belongs to the same family as sharks, is reportedly laid-back and sluggish — hardly threatening.
And despite its heavy equipment, scientists estimate populations of the smalltooth sawfish have declined by nearly 99 percent in the past five decades. The National Marine Fisheries Service concluded last week that the fish, which once ranged from the Gulf of Mexico all the way to the waters of New Jersey, is "in danger of extinction."
Great Weapon, Bad Handicap
If the agency grants the sawfish endangered species status, it would be the first marine fish living in U.S. waters to be listed.
Sonya Fordham of the Center for Marine Conservation, the Washington, D.C. advocacy organization that filed a petition to grant the animal status, argues the decision to grant the sawfish endangered status is not just about this peculiar fish. She says it carries implications for all marine species.
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