b'Sailfish Marina DonatesSawfish DNA Samples Lobsterfest Proceeds Taken at Fishing ClubFor the past severalCammey Rich, an undergraduate student from The years the Sailfish Ma- University of Southern Mississippi (USM), visited the rina on Singer IslandWPBFC several months ago to collect DNA samples from has generously donatedthree sawfish bills, and one proceeds from their popular Spiny Lobsterfest to the Club.full sawfish mount, that are The annual Lobsterfest gathering is held each August andon display inside our historic features live music, family activities, local artists,vendorclubhouse.Some of these displays, and even a Best Lobster pet costume contest.specimens are over 70 years Of course the marquee attraction is the large number ofold. Richs visit is part of a food vendors, offering a variety of lobster themed bites thatglobal sawfish DNA sampling do not disappoint!Thank you to all Fishing Club memberseffort.The project is led by re-who volunteer, attend and sponsor this popular communitysearchers at The University of event.Sailfish Marina has served as headquarters for theSouthern Mississippi & Loui-clubs venerable Silver Sailfishsiana State University with Derby for decades, and for thefunding from the Save Our annual Full Moon Wahoo Series.Seas Foundation (SOSF), The The marina also plays host forShark Conservation Fund, our foundations Veterans Fish- and The Curtis and Edith Munson Foundation. They col-ing Day for disabled vets. Thelaborate with a very large number of researchers globally Fishing Club, and its charitableon this project.All species of sawfish are listed as Endan-foundation, are very gratefulgered or Critically Endangered.They are included on the for the marinas longstandingIUCN Red List of Threatened Species.The fish inhabit support.We look forward toboth tropical and sub-tropical waters throughout the world, another fun LobsterFest! but their numbers have greatly decreased over the past century due to loss of habitat and mortality from fishing.There is a global network of organizations, universities Ichthyology Class Visitsand government agencies that actively conduct research and collect data on sawfishes.Among them are the Florida WPBFC Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the USM. The historic WPBFC clubhouse with its impressive andThe sawfish bills Ms. Rich sampled at the Fishing Club wide-ranging collection of mounted fish has often beenwere from two different species, Small tooth and Large a destination for Ichthyology students enrolled at Palmtooth sawfish.The largest bill in the clubs collection was Beach Atlantic University (PBAU).Fishing Club member,donated by longtime member Skip Tollefsen who landed Dr. Ray Waldner,his behemoth sawfish in the Florida Keys when he was a a longtime PBAUyoung man.That fish was estimated to be 20 feet in length. biology professor,Fred Pennington and Annie Kunkle donated the other has been bringingsawfish bills on display biology students toin the club.DNA sam-the club for manyples collected from the years for an educa- clubs sawfish speci-tional field trip.Asmens will contribute to the group makesthe analysis of historic their way aroundpopulations,which the inside of thewill help guide future clubhouse studentsmanagementplans. are quizzed on theThe WPBFC is excited scientific names, genius and family, of the fish beingto contribute to this pointed out by Ray.With such a diverse representation ofunique data collection local fish species its the perfect place to visit prior to oureffort. If you have a final Ichthyology exam.The clubs collection is a wonder- sawfish mount or bill ful educational resource, so much better than looking atand would like to have pictures of fish in a book, said Waldner.Editors Note: Rayitsampled,contact recently retired from his post at PBAU and will be spendingDr. Nicole Phillips more time on the water fishing! at n.phillips@usm.edu or call 1-844-4SAW-T ighTL inesB uLLeTin- s pring2020 FISH, ext. 5.'