During a large-scale project on the shark and ray fisheries of Papua New Guinea which commenced in 2014, records of sawfish catches were collated and anecdotal information from fishers collected. Tissue samples, photographs and morphometric measurements from dried rostra and/or fins were taken from any sawfish observed during artisanal surveys. Also, an observer program on prawn trawlers in the Gulf of Papua collected data and samples from any sawfish captures. All four species known to occur in the area (Anoxypristis cuspidata, Pristis clavata, P. pristis and P. zijsron) were recorded in the fishery catches. Anoxypristis cuspidata was by far the most abundant species caught. Most records were from the Gulf of Papua but records also taken from Manus, Rabaul and Bougainville. The difficulties in collecting such data in Papua New Guinea and the best way to continue acquiring good data and providing capacity building tools are discussed.