Loss of habitat and fishing The main threats to the sawfish — which is actually a type of ray — are habitat loss and entanglement of their 'saws' in fishing nets. Their fins are also among the most valuable in the global shark fin trade as a celebratory dish in some Asian cultures. Furthermore sawfish's nose are often sold as curios or medicine. One of the study's authors told Simon Frasier University that complete extinction of the sawfish was possible if nothing was done to curb overfishing and to protect its threatened habitats. "Through the plight of sawfish, we are documenting the first cases of a wide-ranging marine fish being driven to local extinction by overfishing," said Nicholas Dulvy.