Extremely Rare Sea Creature With Tooth-Like Scales Caught By Fisherman [Video]

A fisherman in Pakistan was baffled to find an extremely rare and critically endangered sea creature in his net deployed for catching demersal fishes.

Experts identified the creature as a Longcomb Sawfish – scientifically known as Pristis zijsron. Ghulam Nabi, a senior fisherman from the seaside town of Jiwani, and a team from World Wildlife Fund (WWF)-Pakistan, arrived at the location after reports surfaced about the catch. The fish was caught in a bottom-set gillnet at the seaside near the Pakistan and Iran border on Oct. 29, ARY News reported.

“The sawfish is an extremely rare occurrence and it was caught after about 30 years in the area” WWF-Pakistan said in its statement. “In the past 10 years, only three authentic records of their occurrence in Pakistan have been recorded. The last authentic record of the occurrence of this species was reported on 30 May 2013 when a large Longcomb Sawfish was caught by fishermen at Khajar Creek.”

Similarly, two specimens were caught in September 2009 and January 2016 from Sur Bunder, near Gwadar, Balochistan.

According to a statement issued by the WWF-Pakistan, these creatures are facing the threat of extinction. The statement added due to overfishing and habitat degradation, the population of sawfish has decreased substantially.

A sawfish can be recognized by its saw-like long and narrow rostrum (nose extension) with a row of tooth-like scales on either side. Sawfish rostrums (saws) can easily get entangled in nets and other fishing gear, making them vulnerable targets for overfishing.

“Sawfish have a long life, slow growth, late maturity, and low fecundity, making them extremely vulnerable to any changes that may reduce their population,” the WWF-Pakistan statement read.

In May, a rare croaker (Kir) fish was caught in the waters of Balochistan near the coast of Jiwani located in Gwadar district. The precious fish was said to be worth nearly $100,000. The fish weighed 106 pounds, local media reported at the time. Fisherman Waheed Baloch, hailing from Gwadar’s Pishukan village and a resident of Koh-e-Sar Bazar has become a millionaire overnight, Deputy Director Fisheries Ahmed Nadeem said, according to the Tribune. “The air bladder of this fish is used in medicine and it is in high demand in China, Japan and Europe,” Baloch said.