Longcomb sawfish
The longcomb sawfish is native to tropical and subtropical waters in the western and central Indo-Pacific. Historically its distribution covered almost and it ranged from South Africa, north to the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, east to the South China Sea, through Southeast Asia to Australia. In Australia, it ranged from Shark Bay, along the northern part of the country, and south to Jervis Bay on the eastern coast. Today it has disappeared from much of its historical range. It can live in colder waters than its relatives, as also evident by the range in Australia where it occurs further south than the other species of sawfish.
Sawfin
It is also listed as Endangered by the Nature Conservation Ordinance of Western Cape Province. For the time being, it may not be killed or caught. Considerable populations are found in the Cederberg Wilderness Area, Matjies River Nature Reserve and Oorlogskloof Nature Reserve. In 2004, the Greater Cederberg Biodiversity Corridor was established by CapeNature and private landowners to better preserve and develop high-quality habitat. This project aims at restoring the river ecosystems for sustainable development. The sawfin has been bred in captivity at the Clanwilliam Yellowfish Conservation Station, but captive breeding success is not sufficient and improved techniques are needed.