Rare guitarfish returns to Singapore waters
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Researchers in Singapore officially recorded a bowmouth guitarfish in October 2022, after it had been absent from the country’s waters for nearly 30 years.
The sighting occurred at Bedok Jetty, where anglers filmed the fish, estimated to be between 1.5 and 2 meters long, as it swam for three to five minutes before disappearing.
This record follows a previous report in 1995 of a guitarfish caught off Marine Parade and is part of a larger research project examining sharks and rays in Singapore’s waters. The bowmouth guitarfish is a critically endangered species, considered genetically unique and facing threats from overfishing and habitat loss. Scientists note that its extinction would represent a loss of 88 million years of evolutionary history, as it is the sole surviving member of its genus.
International efforts, supported by figures like Jeff Bezos and Leonardo DiCaprio, are currently working to protect and restore populations of the guitarfish. Researchers from the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum and the National University of Singapore documented the sighting, and are also investigating a possible sighting from May 2022 where anglers hooked and released a guitarfish.
They are collaborating with the public, including recreational anglers, to gather data and develop strategies for sustainable fishing practices to protect these vulnerable marine animals. The team hopes to determine whether the guitarfish are residents or simply passing through Singapore’s waters.
