Man Kills Endangered Fish, Faces Prison and 50k Fine
A man is facing prison after witnesses have identified him as the person who killed an endangered smalltooth sawfish by completely removing the most identifying part of it — the long, flat saw at the front.
Chad Ponce, 38, of Jacksonville, Florida, has pled guilty to the charges but is awaiting sentencing. He could see up to a year in prison and a $50,000 fine for his actions.
What Exactly is a Smalltooth Sawfish, Anyway?
A smalltooth sawfish is, objectively, an intimidating fish to look at. They can grow up to 17 feet in length, and got their name from what is called a rostrum, or the long, flat appendage that grows from their face.
It looks just like a long saw. The smalltooth sawfish use their rostrums to defend themselves, as well as identify prey in the water. Without it, they would never survive.
Estimates put the number of smalltooth sawfish in the wild to be somewhere between 500 and 5,000, mostly off the southeastern coast of the United States in shallow water.
These fish are generally completely harmless to people, though will attack if they believe they or their rostrum is in danger. The teeth on the end of the rostrum are sharp and could injure someone.

Florida Man Kills Innocent Endangered Sawfish
Witnesses reported seeing a man using a power saw to remove the rostrum from a smalltooth sawfish last year on a boat while off the coast of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, which is about 18 miles southeast of Jacksonville.
After some investigations, Chad Ponce was identified as the man responsible. He was booked and charged with the crime and pled guilty.
The smalltooth sawfish has been protected under the Endangered Species Act since 2003, so there is no real excuse as to why Ponce might not have been aware this fish was protected. Sometimes fishermen do pull in a sawfish by mistake, but there are clear guidelines on how to handle and release the fish.
There is no date for sentencing Ponce at this time, and his lawyer — nor himself — has not spoken to the media about his crime. There is no word on his motivations for doing this.
