Fishermen in Karnataka's Malpe, were taken by surprise after they caught a rare 'sawfish' while fishing. Weighing around 250 kilograms the 'Sawfish' was caught by fishermen in deep sea fishing boat 'Sea Captain'.
It was brought to the beach with the help of a crane while a crowd of onlookers were trying to catch a glimpse of the rare aquatic species. The video of the same is going viral on social media.
Watch the video here
This fish is also known as the 'Carpenter Shark' and is an endangered species. It has been protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. A Twitter account named Mangalore City shared photos and videos of The Sawfish. It quoted experts as saying, "The carpenter shark is an endangered species whose population has declined." According to experts, this species has been spotted less than 10 times on the Indian coast in the last decade.
After bringing to the fishes to Malpe's fishing harbour, it was reportedly sold to a dealer in Mangaluru. However, auctioning endangered and protected species could put fishermen in trouble. Auctioning this fish can be equally punishable as killing a tiger. According to the media reports, Ganesh K, joint director of the fisheries department, confirmed that an inquiry has been initiated into the incident.
Fish of this species are considered special because of their long and narrow nose. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, sawfish are one of the most threatened marine fish worldwide. All five sawfishes species are listed as endangered, three of which are critically endangered. There is a provision of strict legal action in India for catching and auctioning it, as it has been protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.