ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — A large sawfish that showed signs of distress was rescued by wildlife officials in the Florida Keys, where more than three dozen of the ancient and endangered fish have died for unexplained reasons in recent months.
The 11-foot (3.3-meter) smalltooth sawfish was seen swimming in circles near Cudjoe Key and reported by a member of the public to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, officials said Friday. It was loaded onto a specially designed transport trailer and taken to Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, where it is being rehabilitated.
The unprecedented rescue of an animal like this is part of an “emergency response” led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Florida wildlife officials to address an unprecedented die-off of sawfish, a species related to sharks and rays that has lived virtually unchanged for millions of years.
“It's important to note that active rescue and rehabilitation are not always effective in saving stranded animals,” said Adam Brame, sawfish recovery coordinator for NOAA. “However, it can still give us critical information to learn about the nature of the distress.”
Sawfish, named for their long snout with rows of teeth on each side, were once found all along the Gulf of Mexico and southern Atlantic coasts in the U.S., but now are mainly confined to southwestern Florida and the Keys island chain as their habitats shrink. A related species is found off Australia.
In Florida, there have been reports of abnormal behavior, such as the fish seen spinning or whirling in the water. Other species of fish also appear to have been affected but officials haven't determined a cause. Sawfish necropsies have not revealed any pathogen or bacterial infections, nor problems with low water oxygen levels or contaminants such as chemicals, or toxic red tide. Water testing is continuing.
Another potential factor is climate change, which superheated Florida waters last summer, causing other marine damage, such as coral bleaching and the deaths of other marine species. The waters are unusually warm already this year as well.
It's more difficult to rehabilitate an animal like a sawfish than it is for an air-breathing marine creature, such as a dolphin or manatee, officials say.
"This has not been attempted before, but this unusual mortality event made this necessary,” said Gil McRae, Director of FWC’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. “We are hopeful this rescue and rehabilitation of an adult smalltooth sawfish will bring us one step closer to understanding the cause of this event.”
This photo provided by Mote Marine Lab shows an 11-foot smalltooth sawfish that showed signs of distress is rescued by wildlife officials in the Florida Keys on April 5, 2024. The sawfish was seen swimming in circles near Cudjoe Key and reported to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, officials said Friday. It was loaded onto a specially designed transport trailer and taken to Mote Marine Laboratory, where it is being rehabilitated. (Mote Marine Lab via AP)
This photo provided by Mote Marine Lab shows a sawfish in the Lower Keys Florida on April 5, 2024. The sawfish was seen swimming in circles near Cudjoe Key and reported to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, officials said Friday. It was loaded onto a specially designed transport trailer and taken to Mote Marine Laboratory, where it is being rehabilitated. (Mote Marine Lab via AP)
PHOENIX (AP) — Mat Ishbia knows the offseason chatter around the Phoenix Suns is it's a team with a top-heavy roster, salary cap issues and precious little room to maneuver after a disappointing season.
The second-year owner doesn't believe it.
“The narrative that the house is burning is incorrect,” Ishbia said. “The Phoenix Suns are doing great. Excellent. Not as good as we want to be. Not as good as we're going to do next year. And that's what we're going to figure out — what we've got to tweak, modify and adjust to win a championship next year.”
Ishbia and Suns general manager James Jones talked with the media on Wednesday, three days after their team was swept out of the playoffs in the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves. It was a weak performance by a franchise that had championship aspirations after assembling the All-Star trio of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal.
Ishbia — who splits his time between Michigan and Arizona — is back in the desert to do exit interviews and plot out the direction of the franchise for next season.
That includes deciding whether coach Frank Vogel will return for a second season.
Ishbia said he didn't want to get into Vogel's performance because he hadn't talked with him yet, but mentioned several times he'd like to maintain continuity.
Jones supported his coach.
“I thought Frank did a great job given the circumstances,” Jones said. “We assembled a really talented team, primarily three scorers. Whenever you try to get guys to adjust and adapt their games, there's a transition time. It's sometimes a struggle, but I thought he did a great job this year.”
Vogel had a tough assignment thanks to questionable roster construction. The Suns didn’t have a true point guard — asking Booker and Beal to share that responsibility — and struggled all year with turnovers. They also had a thin bench.
Jones said the team would be open to adding more ballhandlers for next season, but it's got to be the right fit.
“Sure, that's great, but who do you want? Who is available given the way we're built?” Jones said. “Who can fit with this group? Whose game seamlessly fits with this group?”
The Suns' projected starting five for next season is under contract with Booker, Beal, Durant, center Jusuf Nurkic and guard Grayson Allen. Allen led the league in 3-point shooting percentage this season and averaged a career-high 13.8 points per game, but he suffered a sprained ankle in Game 1 against the Wolves and wasn’t able to contribute much.
The 35-year-old Durant continued to defy age with another stellar season, averaging more than 27 points per game and playing in 75 of 82 games. He’s one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history, but it’s also fair to wonder how long he can play at this level.
Booker and Durant are among the 12 players who will represent the U.S. in the Paris Olympics this summer.
Booker — who Ishbia called the face of the franchise on Wednesday — averaged 27 points per game and made his fourth All-Star appearance.
“I think, over time, experience is the best teacher,” he said after Sunday's loss. “The more you can spend time and feel this hurt together, go through it together, the better off you are in the future.”
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Phoenix Suns head coach Frank Vogel applauds his players during the first half of Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Sunday, April 28, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker walks off the court with the basketball after Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Sunday, April 28, 2024, in Phoenix. The Timberwolves won 122-116, taking the series 4-0. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant pauses on the court during the first half of Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Sunday, April 28, 2024, in Phoenix. The Timberwolves won 122-116, taking the series 4-0. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia watches players warm up prior to Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Sunday, April 28, 2024, in Phoenix. The Timberwolves won 122-116, taking the series 4-0. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
