Finalizing Sawfish Protection in the Bahamas

The Bahamas is home to one of the last populations of smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata). Despite international protection obligations and evidence of ongoing consumption, the Bahamas has yet to ban fishing, killing, or harassment of this Critically Endangered species. Scientists warn that the removal of just a few large females could cause irreparable depletion of this exceptionally vulnerable population.

This project continues previous SCF-funded coalition engagement with Bahamian policymakers, local conservationists, and intergovernmental organizations to secure national regulations that explicitly protect sawfish from threats associated with fishing. We are also working to promote associated implementation and outreach programs to ensure protections are strictly enforced and incidentally caught sawfish are safely released. We aim to leverage national successes to motivate the Bahamas to play a leadership role in expanding sawfish protections in the wider Caribbean.