Smalltooth sawfish. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
Smalltooth sawfish. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
About the Species
Smalltooth sawfish. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
Smalltooth sawfish. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
The smalltooth sawfish is one of five species of sawfishes. All sawfishes belong to a group of fish called elasmobranchs that include rays, skates, and sharks. Elasmobranchs have no bones and their skeletons are instead made of cartilage, a firm tissue more flexible than bone. Although shark-like in appearance, sawfishes are actually rays, as their gills and mouths are found on the underside of their bodies. Sawfishes get their name from their distinct rostrum—a long, flat snout edged with teeth—that looks like a saw.
Smalltooth sawfish live in tropical seas and estuaries (semi-enclosed areas where rivers meet the sea) of the Atlantic Ocean. They are most at home in shallow, coastal waters, and sometimes enter the lower reaches of freshwater river systems. In the United States, they can be found in Florida’s coastal waters.
Smalltooth sawfish populations declined dramatically during the second half of the 20th century due to habitat loss associated with coastal development and accidental capture in fisheries. In response, NOAA Fisheries listed the U.S. distinct population segment (DPS) of smalltooth sawfish as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 2003; making it the first marine fish to receive federal protection. In 2014, the non-U.S. DPS of smalltooth sawfish was also listed as endangered. Under the ESA, it is illegal to catch, harm, harass, or kill an endangered sawfish. However, some fishermen catch sawfish as bycatch (i.e., incidentally while fishing for other species). Safe handling and release guidelines have been developed to guide fishermen how to respond when they incidentally capture sawfish or other protected species.
The smalltooth sawfish is listed on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES). Appendix I of CITES includes species that are considered to be threatened with extinction as a result of commercial trade, and an Appendix I listing creates prohibitions on such trade. Smalltooth sawfish also receive protection under Annex II of the Protocol for Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife—commonly referred to as the SPAW Protocol.The SPAW Protocol engages countries in the Wider Caribbean in conservation for threatened and endangered species. The smalltooth sawfish is also listed as a migratory species threatened with extinction (Appendix I) under the United Nations Environment Programme Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals. Participating countries strive to strictly protect these animals, conserving and restoring the places where they live, and mitigating obstacles to migration.
NOAA Fisheries is committed to protecting and rebuilding smalltooth sawfish. Our scientists and partners use a variety of innovative techniques to study and protect smalltooth sawfish, as there is still much to learn about their life history and distribution. To date, we have designated critical habitat for the U.S. DPS, worked with a team of scientists and management partners to develop a recovery plan. We also continue to conduct public outreach efforts to promote safe handling and release techniques for sawfish.
Population Status
There are few data about historical smalltooth sawfish abundance but reports suggest they were a prominent member of the fish community in the southeastern United States. Smalltooth sawfish were once found in the Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico) from Texas to Florida and along the East Coast from Florida to North Carolina. Their distribution has decreased greatly in U.S. waters over the past century, and today, the species is generally only found off the coast of Florida.
Appearance
Smalltooth sawfish are olive gray to brown on top and have a white underside. Although sawfish have shark-like bodies, they are actually a type of ray. They are named after their "saws" (rostra)—long, flat snouts edged with teeth. Smalltooth sawfish have 22 to 29 teeth on each side of their snout.
Behavior and Diet
Smalltooth sawfish primarily eat fish but may also consume invertebrates (e.g., shrimp and crabs). A sawfish uses its rostrum to slash through schools of fish, swinging it from side to side to impale and stun prey. The rostrum also contains electro-sensory system, which can sense the weak amount of electricity produced by other animals. This system helps sawfish identify when prey is nearby.
Where They Live
In the United States, smalltooth sawfish are most often found off the southwest coast of Florida, from about Charlotte Harbor through the Everglades and Florida Keys region at the southern tip of the state. Outside the United States, smalltooth sawfish have been confirmed to live in the Bahamas and informal reports suggest they might also be found off the coasts of Honduras, Belize, Cuba, Guinea Bissau, and Sierra Leone. Smalltooth sawfish use a variety of coastal habitats depending on life stage. During their first 2 years, juveniles live in estuaries and the smaller habitats within them, such as shallow portions of bays, lagoons, and rivers. Once they reach approximately 7 feet, they begin moving out of the shallow estuaries into more coastal habitats. Larger juveniles and adults can be found in estuaries, off beaches, and along deep-water reefs. A number of factors, such as water temperature, water depth, shoreline vegetation, and salinity, affect how and when a sawfish uses a habitat. Generally, smalltooth sawfish live in waters warmer than 64°F. Small sawfish tend to live in shallow water and move to deeper waters as they grow. For example, in Charlotte Harbor, Florida—an important nursery and research area for smalltooth sawfish—we’ve learned that juvenile sawfish have an affinity for water that’s at least 70°F and less than 3 feet deep.
World map providing approximate representation of the smalltooth sawfish's range.
Lifespan & Reproduction
Smalltooth sawfish are "yolk-sac viviparous"—their young are attached to yolk sacs that nourish the embryo inside the mother's body and emerge as fully developed pups. The pups are born with their saw fully developed, but it is very flexible and sheathed in a thick gelatinous material to avoid injuring the mother at birth (the sheath dissolves quickly thereafter). A mother smalltooth sawfish can have 7–14 pups per litter. Newborn sawfish are approximately 2 feet long at birth and double in size over their first year. Sawfish reach sexual maturity beginning around 7 years and when they’ve reached a size of about 11 feet. The length of the female smalltooth sawfish gestation period, or pregnancy, is believed to be 12 months and females can give birth every other year.
Threats
Habitat Loss
Young sawfish rely on shallow estuarine habitats fringed with vegetation, especially red mangroves, as nursery areas. Development of the waterfront in Florida and other southeastern states has changed or destroyed much of this habitat. The elimination of viable nursery habitats therefore has the potential to limit population growth.
Bycatch
Historically, sawfish were often accidentally caught in fishing nets, particularly inshore gill nets. Because sawfish have the potential to damage fishing gear and pose a threat to fishermen, they were often killed rather than being released unharmed. While this threat has largely been reduced with the 1995 enactment of the Florida Net Ban Amendment, sawfish are still incidentally caught in a variety of fishing gears today, including shrimp trawls, bottom longlines, and recreational hook-and-line gear.
Scientific Classification
| Animalia |
| Chordata |
| Chondrichthyes |
| Rhinopristiformes |
| Pristidae |
| Pristis |
| pectinata |
Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 02/27/2025
