A rare marine species - Bowmouth Guitarfish finds a rare escape from fishermen's traps off Balochistan coast earlier this week, the WWF-Pakistan said on Wednesday. The 2.3 meter long species, which is scientifically named - Rhina Ancylostoma, accidentally got entangled in fishermen's nets last October 26 in Balochistan waters but the seafarers toiled in releasing it back into waters unhurt, it said.
"After struggle of about 25 minutes they [fishermen] were able to haul this guitarfish on board and then released it successfully," it said, adding that "The WWF-Pakistan has trained about 50 fishermen since 2013 on release of rare and endangered species". The WWF-Pakistan credited the skipper of Karachi-bound gillnet boat - Muhammad Iqrar Nakhuda for rescuing Bowmouth Guitarfish during fishing hunt off 45 kilometres of Ras Zarrien shore near Pasni at sea depth of 30 meters.
"The Bowmouth Guitarfish is a vulnerable species according to IUCN Red list and its population has been seriously reduced in the area of its distribution," Technical Advisor (Marine Fisheries) WWF-Pakistan, Muhammad Moazzam Khan said, adding that the species was locally called "Bhuth-Khair" in Sindhi and "Koh-Bayyadri" in Balochi languages.
In the past, fishermen would exploit Bowmouth Guitarfish as a regular species but its overfishing and slow reproduction seriously scalded down its population in Pakistani waters, he said, adding that "This species can attain a maximum length of 3.0 meters". Its main feed is fish and crustaceans on bottom dwelling, he said, adding that "its bands of flattened teeth allow it to crush hard-shelled prey". He said that Bowmouth Guitarfish was known from the Persian Gulf, Red Sea and East Africa to Papua New Guinea, north to Japan, south to New South Wales and Australia.
"The Bowmouth Guitarfish gives birth to four live young. Like other sharks and rays, this species is thought to have a late onset of sexual maturity and slow reproductive rate, which makes it extremely vulnerable," he said. Senior Director Biodiversity, WWF-Pakistan Rab Nawaz appreciated the fishermen for their efforts to release the rare Guitarfish back into water. "Although Guitarfish are not legally protected in Pakistan the fishing community considers them an important marine animal, which should not be killed for mere extraction of liver oil and its fins," he said.
He pointed out that the WWF-Pakistan was working in close collaboration with fisheries and wildlife departments of Sindh and Balochistan to include Guitarfish as a protected species. "The Government to devise a policy for reducing gillnets fisheries in Pakistan which is known for high entanglement of by-catch especially cetaceans and turtles," he added.
Since 2013, fishermen saved 14 whale sharks, 4 mobulids rays, 2 sunfishes, 1 Longman's beaked whale, 2 bottlenose dolphin and thousands of marine turtles, which got entangled in nets. "Bowmouth Guitarfish are considered to be a good omen for the fisheries of Pakistan, as these large guitarfish were previously used to be killed for its meat, the extraction of liver oil and their valuable fins," the WWF-Pakistan said.