Sawfish were once common in coastal waters worldwide but have been eliminated from 90% of their historical range by fishing and habitat loss, with fewer than 500 largetooth sawfish surviving in some regions.
Sawfish entangled in fishing nets experience prolonged trauma as their rostrum becomes entangled in mesh that is impossible to remove without human assistance. Extended entanglement causes exhaustion, physical injury to the rostrum, and potentially drowning. Rescue and disentanglement programs provide direct welfare relief for entangled individuals. The behavioral sophistication of these elasmobranches - using electroreception and their saw for prey detection and capture - suggests their welfare experience is more complex than might be assumed. Protecting mangrove nursery habitats protects juvenile sawfish welfare during their most vulnerable developmental period.