Studying Smalltooth Sawfish: An Interview with Graduate Student Jasmin Graham

Our blog following International Sawfish Day 2019 features Florida State University graduate student, Jasmin Graham. Jasmin is a Master’s student under Dr. Dean Grubbs and is a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program recipient. Her graduate work focuses on the interactions of Smalltooth Sawfish with fisheries and you can read more about her interesting project and awesome sawfish encounters in our blog! 

1.     Can you tell us about the research you are doing for your thesis?

My thesis focuses on tracking the movements of adult and large juvenile Smalltooth Sawfish in the United States. I am using both acoustic and satellite telemetry to better understand how sawfish are using the coastline. Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), I am identifying areas where sawfish have high interaction probabilities with the shrimp, gillnet and longline fisheries based on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries observer data.  Hopefully this information can be useful in understanding and mitigating bycatch of sawfish in these fisheries. I am also using network analysis to understand how the sawfish are moving, where they are aggregating and where they are spending a lot of time in an effort to identify areas for potential critical habitat designation.

2.     Did you want to study sawfish before you started your project?

I came to Florida State University with the intention of studying sawfish, but the project also kind of fell into my lap. I was interested in applied ecological questions and the interface between science and conservation policy. In addition, I have always been fascinated by animals with strange morphology and had previously done research on hammerheads. So, when presented with the opportunity to study a Critically Endangered elasmobranch with strange morphology, I jumped at the chance. This ended up being the perfect project for me because I get to do impactful research and study this unique species.

Young of the year sawfish sampled in Everglades National Park

3.     How do you go about getting into graduate school and finding your advisor, Dr. Dean Grubbs, and this awesome project?

Dean was recommended to me by my undergraduate mentor, Dr. Gavin Naylor. After working in his lab all four years of undergraduate and completing my bachelor’s essay on hammerhead phylogeny, I told him that I had spent enough time in the lab and was ready to move more towards a field ecology lab in graduate school. He put me into contact with Dean and we submitted a proposal for the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP), which I ended up being awarded. The rest, as they say, is history.

4.     Can you describe the first time you saw a sawfish in the wild?

The first time I saw a sawfish in the wild, I was beyond excited. I remember thinking, “Wow, that’s big.” I was also amazed at its power as it slashed at the water at a ridiculous speed. I also was shocked by how adorable I found it to be. I think sawfish mouths are super cute. They are the perfect blend of “I could take you out with one swipe” and “Look at that cute little face.” Honestly, I’ve seen quite a few sawfish in the wild at this point, and I still get giddy once I see that rostrum break the water’s surface. 

5.     What has been your favorite sawfish field story by far? 

The day we got two on one longline is a fond memory. Since I started my project, we’ve been getting mostly one sawfish per trip, so to see two on one line was very special. A very close second to my favorite field study was when I named a sawfish. We don’t usually name sawfish, but this particularly day we were fishing offshore near an island that is supposedly owned by Beyoncé. I personally am a huge fan of Beyoncé as an artist, so when we let this female sawfish go, I just casually said, “Bye Beyoncé,” and the name stuck. If for some reason Beyoncé reads this, I hope she thinks it’s cool to have a sawfish named after her.

Preparing to work up a female sawfish named “Beyoncé” in the Florida Keys

6.     Working in Florida I am sure you have encountered lots of local recreational and commercial fishermen. In your opinion have fishermen been open to researchers studying sawfish and bycatch or learning about your research? How do you think fishermen view sawfish and sawfish conservation in your area?

I’ve interacted mostly with the fishing guide who represents an organization of Florida fishing guides and he, as well as his colleagues, are very interested in sawfish conservation. They want them to be around and get excited when they see one. I think this generation of anglers is fairly conservation minded. There are, of course, some people who don’t like what we are doing. Fisherman are occasionally reluctant to share information on sawfish they’ve encountered for whatever reason, but I would say my experiences with anglers has been positive overall. I don’t have much interaction with commercial fisherman. However, I understand the livelihoods of many men and women depend on these industries and I keep that in the back of my mind to motivate me to not over-extrapolate or stretch my interpretations too far. 

7.     What has been the most difficult thing about your project?

The most difficult thing about my project has been learning GIS and network analysis. My data is extremely complex, and I have spent a lot of time thinking about how to analyze it effectively. I now have many diverse tools in my wheelhouse though, so I appreciate that.

8.     Do you want to continue to work with sawfish after graduate school? 

I hope so! Even if I’m not able to continue doing research on them, I hope to continue to do outreach events and educate the public about these amazing animals.

Photo credit: Chelle Blais

Workup of a Smalltooth Sawfish in the Florida Keys.