Project

Evaluation of status of Sawfishes in West Africa

In 2012, UICN Shark Specialist Group recognized the need to develop Conservation Strategies and prioritized sawfishes (Pristidae) as the group most deserving urgent attention. Sawfishes were known as common in Western Africa as far as being the banknote and coins symbol of the sub-regional money (CFA). Actually listed as critically endangered (IUCN Red List) the western african sawfishes are still sporadically encountered in the area but poorly reported. Urgent action to standardize their encountered information (past and present), sensitize the local communities, evaluate the hot spots, are needed to elaborate a first evaluation of the sawfishes status in Western Africa and gather first elements to promote self-governance initiative to secure their future from their actual major threats: mitigation of human interaction and limitation of habitat degradation.

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les objectifs :

• Evaluer les zones clefs des populations de Pristidae dans la sous-région
• Mettre en place, former et maintenir un réseau d’alerte “Poisson-scie” dans la sous-région
• Oeuvrer à la réduction des interactions hommes/poissons-scies pour minimiser les mortalités directes ou indirectes

Pays concernés :

Les pays Continentaux de la Commission Sous-Régionale des Pêches (CSRP) Mauritanie, Sénégal, Gambie, Guinée-Bissau, Guinée-Conakry et Sierra-Léone.