National Sawfish Encounter Database

The National Sawfish Encounter Database (NSED) has recently been transferred to the Florida Program for Shark Research (FPSR) at the Florida Museum of Natural History (FLMNH). Formally housed at Mote Marine Laboratory, the NSED is currently integrating the Mote database with four other sawfish databases: one from the FLMNH, two from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and another database from a private sawfish aficionado. As a result, all existing information regarding U.S. smalltooth sawfish will be held in one place (FLMNH) under the NSED. Therefore, the FPSR will be handling all future sawfish encounter reports.

The information from the sawfish encounter reports is entered into the database and used for monitoring the smalltooth sawfish population. This information assists in the evaluation of the species abundance and habitat range, helping us not only to estimate the population size but also to identify their habitat preferences. This type of information is vital for the recovery of the U.S. smalltooth sawfish population, and greatly assists in conservation efforts.

How can you get involved in the recovery of the smalltooth sawfish?

In the future, this web page will include the analyzed NSED data along with distribution maps as well as last years population estimates. This will provide valuable information to both the scientific community as well as the public in regards to the success of smalltooth sawfish conservation efforts.