UK ɱaп’s Serendipitous Encounter with Rare 4-Meter Sawfish During US Vacation
Ian Atherton, hailing from Lancashire in the UK, had an unexpected encounter while on vacation in the United States. Joining his friends for a fishing trip along the Florida coast, Atherton stumbled upon a remarkable discovery.
Venturing out from Canaveral, Atherton and his companion, helmsɱaп Jon Cangianella, set sail to a spot approximately 10 meters deep. Using small fish as bait, Atherton cast his fishing rod and patiently awaited a bite. Moments later, he felt a strong tug on the line, anticipating the thrill of reeling in a shark.
However, fate had a different surprise in store for Atherton. Instead of a shark, he found himself face to face with a rare creature of even greater intrigue: a nearly 4-meter long sawfish. After an intense struggle lasting about an hour, Atherton ɱaпaged to bring the magnificent fish aboard the boat. Admiring its elongated snout adorned with numerous sharp, horizontal teeth, Atherton seized the opportunity to capture photographs as a memento. Finally, he released the sawfish back into its natural habitat, bidding it farewell.
This extraordinary encounter left Atherton astounded by the remarkable and enigmatic nature of the sawfish, etching a memorable chapter in his fishing expedition.
Jon Cangianella said: “I have been to the beach for 17 years and over the years I have only seen sawfish twice and the last ᴛι̇ɱe I caught it was last August”.
This fish is large, someᴛι̇ɱes 7 meters long, featuring a protruding part of the front of the head that looks like a saw, someᴛι̇ɱes up to 1.5 meters long. They are listed as endangered because of over-hunting. People often hunt sawfish for their fins, teeth and saws, using these parts to make medicine.
Last year, in August 2021, Captain Parker Miley also discovered a giant sawfish in the same Florida area. Meanwhile, a Brevard angler also came across a healthy sawfish in early 2021.
Sawfish easily entangled in fishing nets of seafaring fishermen. Since the early 1900s, sawfish populations have declined dramatically. They became the first marine fish to be listed as endangered in 2003. The only remaining strongholds are in Northern Australia and Florida, USA. They are generally harmless to huɱaпs, but can cause serious injury if accidentally bumped into a row of sharp serrated teeth.
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