Common Sawfish (Pristis pristis)

Mohamed bin Zayed Species project number 11252232

Non-profit association established in 2001 (under French law), Noé Conservation aims at conserving biodiversity through field-based conservation programs for endangered species and their habitats, and through educational programs to encourage changes in our attitudes towards the environment.

The Association intends:

-       To carry out field-based projects dedicated to species conservation based on key activities such as data gathering on endangered species, field conservation actions, local sustainable development and educational campaigns.

-       To develop a network of protected areas in a variety of habitat.

-       To support relevant and long-term actions for biodiversity conservation based on strong local and international partnerships.

-       To support local stakeholders with expertise and financially to develop sustainable habitat management plans and species conservation tools.

Noé Conservation works in France as well as on French overseas territories and abroad. Noé Conservation is an organization dedicated to species conservation and target species are chosen based on their conservation stakes.

 

Since the 1970’s, target fishing for fins has decimated sharks and rays population in West Africa, threatening these emblematic species with extinction. The industrial and artisanal fisheries, with immigrant fishermen of neighbouring countries, are still maintaining an intense pressure on the natural resources.

 

Sawfishes (genus Pristis) are among the most endangered elasmobranch species. They live within estuaries and their capacity of reproduction is low. The target shark fisheries (either for their fins, their rostra, or as bycatch) and the degradation of their habitat (mangroves, sandbanks) are drastically threatening the last sawfishes of West Africa. According to a survey carried out by Noé Conservation and FIBA along the Western African coats in 2005-2006, the last sawfishes in this region were found in Guinea-Bissau.

 

Fishing pressures represent a threat for fishing resources and for threatened marine species (sharks, dolphins, manatees, turtles,…). Local communities are deprived of essential alimentary resources due to pressure from immigrant fishermen. To ensure a future to the local marine biodiversity and local communities, it is mandatory to valorise sustainable fishing activities and to respect protected areas boundaries.

 

Noé Conservation’s project aims at contributing to the safeguard of sharks, skates, rays and in particular threatened sawfish species. Its objective is to reinforce IBAP, the national institution in charge of the protected areas of Guinea-Bissau, and espcially focus its efforts towards the conservation and long-term management of Orango National Park, one of the last sanctuaries for West African marine biodiversity.