Fisheries authorities in Western Australia's north are investigating the "cruel" killing of four critically endangered sawfish, which were found with their saws, or rostrums, removed.
Photos posted online show two dead sawfish with their saws cut off, with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) confirming four carcasses were found on Friday at Cleaverville Creek near Karratha.
A DPIRD spokesperson said officers measured the sawfish and took tissue samples, and investigations were ongoing.
DPIRD was notified through a tip-off from the public.
Aquatic ecosystems expert at Murdoch University David Morgan said the dead animals were probably green sawfish, which were internationally listed as critically endangered and considered vulnerable in Australian waters.
Professor Morgan said the rostrums were often removed as a trophy, and he compared it with the poaching of elephants and rhinos for their ivory tusks and horns.
"It's a real shame that these four animals were killed just for a trophy," he said.
"Not only is it illegal, but it's cruel.
"Someone just wants to stick it on their wall. They're like elephant tusks and rhino horn."
The DPIRD spokesperson said sawfish were a protected species and an individual could face fines totalling $25,000 if they were found responsible for all four carcasses.
WA a last stronghold
Professor Morgan said sawfish could once be found in abundance in African and Asian waters, but populations had declined so severely that northern WA was now considered one of the last strongholds for the fish.
He described the Pilbara, Kimberley, and Gascoyne regions as a "global hotspot" with four of the world's five species of sawfish found in the area.
He said all species of sawfish were threatened by fishing nets and mangrove habitat destruction, as well as poaching.
Professor Morgan said awareness about sawfish had improved in recent years, which made the discovery of four carcasses near Karratha even more disappointing.
"I was hoping we'd woken up to the fact that we are housing these critically endangered species," he said.
"They are an iconic species. People should really put a big sign up saying: 'Welcome to sawfish country.'"
DPIRD said anyone with information about the incident should speak to authorities through FishWatch.
"We recommend that people do not approach anyone they think is involved in illegal activity involving fish or fishing and simply report their concerns to FishWatch," the spokesperson said.
