Event Description: The smalltooth sawfish is a critically endangered species of ray whose central artery for survival courses through the Caloosahatchee River. Four of the five hotspot areas for the Charlotte Harbor Estuary Unit of critical habitat are within the Caloosahatchee. This is where the species pups and those pups spend their early years maturing to young adults before venturing out of the river down along the Gulf coast around south Florida an out into the south Atlantic before returning to pup again in the Caloosahatchee. After years of overfishing their saw-shaped snouts/rostrums and captured as bycatch in gillnet fisheries in the past, the main threat they face today is coastal development, particularly within their pupping areas.
Joe will discuss why the smalltooth sawfish is the perfect keystone species for the Caloosahatchee River and Calusa Waterkeeper’s mission in preserving and restoring the habitat and water quality within the Caloosahatchee watershed. Protecting sawfish habitat and the water quality they need to survive benefits everyone living along the Caloosahatchee River and myriad other species including snook, redfish, mangroves, seagrasses, manatees, shorebirds and more. Our River’s future is tied to the survival of this important species and should drive our advocacy for sustainable, reasonable coastal development. Joe will outline how Calusa Waterkeeper can leverage existing protections for sawfish under the Endangered Species Act to help better protect our River.