Critically endangered sawfish found in Karnataka; video goes viral!

Sawfish or carpenter shark, which is considered to be a very rare species of fish, was caught in fishing nets in Karnataka’s coastal town of Malpe on Thursday. The video of the fisherman lifting the giant fish by crane is currently going viral on social media.

Giant fish

This giant carpenter shark is caught in a net by fisherman from Malpe region of Karnataka. This fish is 10 feet long and weighs 250 kg. This serpentine-nosed fish is considered to be a very rare species.

The 10-foot-long fish was caught by a group of fishermen aboard the 'Sea Captain,' a deep-sea fishing boat, and brought to the Malpe fishery port. The crane, which was equipped with a hoist rope, was then used to transport it to the auction location.

Rare creature

According to Schedule 1 of the Indian Wildlife Conservation Act 1972, this carpenter shark is classified as a rare species. Selling or hunting it is considered a punishable offense equivalent to killing a tiger.

Inquiry

Ganesh, co-director of the fisheries department, said the rare fish caught in Karnataka was being investigated.

Dr Sivakumar, who is an assistant professor of marine technology at Kakatiya University in Karwar, said, "These fish are now only 10 times more abundant in the Indian Ocean now than they were ten years ago."

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the carpenter shark is one of the world's most endangered species. There are a total of 5 species of this fish. They are all on the endangered species list. 3 of them are classified as endangered species.

Environmentalists say the species needs to be protected so that it can be protected from extinction.