The Brief
- Kane Mcree, 16, caught the small tooth sawfish twice within a week from what locals call Bishop Harbor Pond.
- Mcree figured something was wrong and recognized a nearby culvert with grates that likely prevented the sawfish from swimming out of the area.
- The U.S. Sawfish Recovery Team helped capture and release the sawfish into open water. It was fitted with an acoustic tag to help track its movements.
PALMETTO, Fla. – Sawfish were once a common sight in Florida waters, but now they’re endangered and facing a number of threats – including an illness that causes them to spin.
One is now swimming freely in Tampa Bay thanks to a group effort that made sure a trapped sawfish was able to escape a pond in Palmetto. Researchers are thankful to a young fisherman with a keen eye.
Local perspective:…