Searching for Sawfish in the Sundarbans: An Interview with Sabrina Sabbir

Sabrina Sabbir is a researcher working with sawfish and other elasmobranchs in Bangladesh. She has just completed her M.S. from the University of Dhaka, which focused on abundance of elasmobranchs in Bangladesh. During Sabrina’s project she recorded landing records of Largetooth Sawfish in Bangladesh and is planning to continue her work with sawfish in this area, as there is still much to be learned. Check out her recent publication on some of this work here:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/329555585_Recent_records_of_large_tooth_sawfish_Pristis_pristis_Linnaeus_1758_from_Parerhat_of_Pirojpur_district_in_the_southwestern_Bangladesh

The third sawfish landed that was recorded by Sabrina

1. Can you give people a brief overview about how sawfish are involved in your graduate work?

For my M.S. thesis project, I have worked on the species abundance, landing trends and percentage contribution of elasmobranchs in the southwest region of Bangladesh. My working station was at Parerhat, Pirojpur; situated northwest of the Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest, where sharks and rays are mainly landed as a result of bycatch. Traditionally, people have been fishing out of Parerhat for the past 50-70 years. In this region, sharks and rays are mostly landed in the Mohipur and Dublar Char landing stations situated near the Sundarbans, only a few are brought to Parerhat for the local traders. They are irregularly landed throughout the year but regularly during the dry season, from November to March; being dried up and exported to the shark fin market of Chittagong and then placed in the international market.

On my first field visit, I could not find any fresh elasmobranch samples for data collection at the landing market, but I witnessed rows of dried shark fins, jaws and other body parts in the riverside drying factories. The large number of huge dried fins and jaws made me curious to investigate their source. It was on this trip that I collected my first sawfish saw sample. During my one-year working period, I collected about 10 landing records of Largetooth Sawfish from that small landing port and most of them were reportedly caught near the mangrove forest.

2. Were you interested in sawfishes before you began your graduate work at the University of Dhaka? If so, how/when did you first become interested in sawfishes?

Since I was a teenager, I wanted to work on behalf of the voiceless innocent souls of animals. Fascination and love for the animal world grew in me from childhood. The mysterious underwater world of the ocean has always been a source of attraction to me. Before starting my graduate work, my supervisor sent me on a field trip with a research team at Cox’s Bazar Fisheries Landing Station, Chittagong. I observed the landing of larger sharks, rays, marlins, crabs, and many other marine species. During this visit, a feeling of pain arose in my gut with a question of “Why are they being caught?” That question helped me to select my research topic on elasmobranchs. We were surveying for elasmobranch catches and specifically looking for the threatened sawfish. We have searched for sawfish in different landing stations and drying factories in southeast Bangladesh, but we could not find any. Later I made my first research trip to Pirojpur and there I collected my first sawfish saw sample. In two and half months, I collected two more sawfish landing records. The relatively frequent landings of this Critically Endangered fish on that small landing port encouraged me to work on the sawfish and their landings in that region.

3. What is the attitude of fishermen towards scientists in your area? What about their attitude towards conservation?

The Fish Act of Bangladesh does not possess any restriction over catching sharks and rays while the Wildlife Protection Act (2012) does restrict the catch in and around the Sundarbans. Anglers of the southeast (St. Martin’s Island, Cox’s Bazar; Chittagong) do not have to face the restriction or threats from the coast guards. They are very cooperative towards the scientists. They play a very important role in major scientific processes by providing their time and sharing their traditional knowledge. The scenario is opposite in the southwest region, near the mangrove forest areas. The fishers here are monitored by the coast guards. They are not that open to the citizen science data collection process. In the beginning, it was very difficult for me to gain their trust. Amusingly, I had to convince them that I was not an agent for the coastguards. After gaining their trust, they helped to run the research.

4. Do you have a favorite field story you would like to share?

Collecting the first sawfish saw sample was an exceptional experience for me.

On a regular interview session with the local fishers, they were telling about an expensive fish with a large saw that was being caught by them three months ago near the Sundarbans. With immense curiosity, I asked them several questions about the morphology of that species and they were giving accurate information. I showed them a picture of a sawfish and they agreed that is what they caught. To my utter surprise, they eventually brought out the saw to show me, and then I believed them. I encountered the first ever saw of an unfortunate sawfish in my life on 17 March 2017.

It was from a juvenile Largetooth Sawfish.

The first sawfish saw sampled and seen by Sabrina

5. Do you think stronger enforcement or more outreach would be a better start to helping reduce exploitation of sawfish in this area?

Yes, indeed. My study recorded all juvenile sawfishes captured as by-catch near the forest water, which raises an alarm for local population extinction of this Critically Endangered species. This study also suggests that the Sundarbans is an important habitat for the juvenile sawfishes but the rate that they are being caught at is posing threat to their existence. Here most of the catches remain unreported and unregulated due to the lack of proper monitoring, citizen data science programs, and strong enforcement of laws. Lack of awareness among the fishers about the importance of these critical species should be addressed by strong developmental and sustainable projects regularly. Knowledge about conservation, habitat protection and awareness among the rural fishers can hopefully change the scenario.

The second sawfish landed that Sabrina recorded

6. Do you have any advice for aspiring scientists in your area?

Stick to your passion and improve your skill. For countries like Bangladesh, funding limitation is a big issue for research work. I had to do part-time jobs to run my fieldwork. Later I got a government scholarship. It may seem tough at the beginning, but whatever it seems we have to start, we have to take the first step. We have to ask for help whatever the complication is about.

Once I was very confused in identifying a shark species. I sent the photo to many local researchers but there was no reply. After two months, I sent an email to Dr. Samuel H. Gruber, for help. To my utter surprise, he replied to me within a few hours, and Dr. Dean Grubbs helped me to identify that species. Yes, I was surprised because it was the first email that I sent to renowned shark researchers and they answered my questions within a few hours. I am very grateful to them for their helpful contributions.

I have faced the opposite situations too. However, those situations made me stronger, helped me to stick to my goals, and inspired me to run my research work regardless of the situation.

Sabrina collecting data during a market visit

7. What do you plan on doing next? Will you be continuing to work with sawfishes in Bangladesh?

I am currently working on my research paper and hope to publish it soon.

Yes, I am willing to continue my work on sawfishes of Bangladesh, as Bangladesh lacks their morphometric, ecological and biological data assessment. As I have just finished my Master’s program in Bangladesh, I am willing to pursue higher studies to learn and improve my skill so that I can contribute in conserving this Critically Endangered species. Being the world’s largest mangrove forest, the Sundarbans is the most important hotspot for the remaining sawfish population of Bangladesh and India. To conserve this threatened species, sustainable projects and outreach programs should be introduced to the local communities and specifically to the fishers who can play important roles in conservation. I had planned to run an awareness program among the fisher and retailer communities, but due to funding limitations could not achieve progress there. I am applying for small grants so that it will be easier to go forward in conserving this species.