North Atlantic Swordfish (Xiphias gladius)

• U.S. North Atlantic swordfish population levels are high and overfishing is not currently occurring on the stock.
• Strict federal fisheries management measures are improving the condition of the fishery, and a fishing industry/NOAA partnership is successfully reducing sea turtle bycatch.
• Swordfish is an excellent source of selenium, niacin, and vitamin B12 and a good source of zinc. Swordfish may contain amounts of methylmercury in excess of the FDA's recommended limit for moms, moms-to-be, and young children. For more information, see EPA and FDA advice on what you need to know about mercury in fish and shellfish.
• Almost 40% percent of the swordfish caught in the U.S. comes from the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico; the rest is Pacific swordfish, where population levels are also high.

Sustainability Status

Biomass: North Atlantic swordfish biomass estimates are currently 99% of the biomass that supports maximum sustainable yield (B_MSY).
Overfishing: No
Overfished: No
Fishing and habitat: U.S. commercial fishermen mainly use pelagic longline gear to capture North Atlantic swordfish. Pelagic longline gear has no impacts on ocean floor habitats because it does not come in contact with the bottom.
Bycatch: Pelagic longline gear sometimes catches non-target finfish with little or no commercial value, as well as species that cannot be retained by commercial fishermen due to regulations, such as billfish. Pelagic longlines may also interact with protected species such as marine mammals, sea turtles, and seabirds. Area closures are used to minimize bycatch by closing ocean areas that historically have the highest rates of bycatch, and Vessel Monitoring Systems are required on U.S. Atlantic pelagic longline vessels to enforce the closures and monitor the fishery. Circle hooks are also required to increase post-release survival of animals that are inadvertently caught. Additionally, U.S. Atlantic pelagic longline fishermen must attend workshops to learn how to properly handle and release these animals. The Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico large pelagics longline fishery is designated as a Category I fishery according to the List of Fisheries published annually by NOAA Fisheries as required under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. This means that annual mortality and serious injury of certain marine mammal stocks in this fishery are greater than or equal to 50% of the Potential Biological Removal level (the maximum number of animals, not including natural mortalities, that may be removed from a marine mammal stock while allowing it to be at sustainable levels). NMFS is addressing this challenge through the Pelagic Longline Take Reduction Team, which works to reduce serious injuries and mortalities of short-finned pilot whales, long-finned pilot whales, and Risso's dolphins in the Mid-Atlantic portion of the Atlantic pelagic longline fishery.
Aquaculture: There is currently no commercial aquaculture of swordfish in the U.S.

Science and Management

Because swordfish is considered a highly migratory species (HMS) and populations move across oceans and national boundaries, the resource is managed both in the U.S. and at the international level. North Atlantic swordfish management in the United States began with the 1985 Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The U.S. was concerned primarily with reducing the harvest of juvenile swordfish and foreign impact on the domestic fishery. The International Commission for Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) was established in 1969 to foster international cooperation for the management of Atlantic HMS, including North Atlantic swordfish. Member countries include the U.S., Canada, the European community, and Japan. The Commission meets annually to review scientific advice regarding the management of HMS and to develop conservation and management measures. The Commission adopted its first conservation measures regarding swordfish in 1990. In 1999, the United States developed a new FMP for Atlantic Tunas, Swordfish, and Sharks using similar ideas as the 1985 FMP and calling for an international rebuilding plan. In November 1999, ICCAT established a 10-year rebuilding plan that has protected juvenile swordfish, helping the population to rebuild. The rebuilding plan was initiated in 2000, with a goal for the stock to be rebuilt by 2010. In 2006, 3 years ahead of schedule, biomass was at 99% of target levels. A Final Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species FMP was published in July 2006.

Life History and Habitat

Life history, including information on the habitat, growth, feeding, and reproduction of a species, is important because it affects how a fishery is managed. For example, scientists have determined the approximate size of swordfish at sexual maturity (between the ages of 5 and 9) to be a length of about 47 inches. Setting size limits (i.e., fishermen cannot keep swordfish smaller than 47 inches lower jaw fork length) allows swordfish the opportunity to reach reproductive maturity and reproduce before they are removed from the population by commercial or recreational fishing. This species’ broad distribution, large spawning area, and prolific nature have contributed to its resilience, despite heavy fishing pressure from many nations.

• Geographic range: Gulf Stream of western North Atlantic Ocean, extending north into the Grand Banks; the North Atlantic stock is also in eastern Atlantic along Africa/Europe
• Habitat: Found in surface waters but feed throughout water column
• Life span: 9+ years
• Food: Groundfish, pelagic fish, deep-water fish, and invertebrates such as squid
• Growth rate: Rapid; females grow faster than males
• Maximum size: Up to 1,165 pounds
• Reaches reproductive maturity: Between 5 and 9 years
• Reproduction: Swordfish spawn numerous times throughout the year. Females produce a highly variable number of eggs: from 1 to 16 million in a 370-pound female to 29 million in a 600-pound female.
• Spawning season: Year-round
• Spawning grounds: Warm tropical and sub-tropical waters
• Migrations: Swordfish annually migrate thousands of miles along the eastern seaboard of the United States and Canada and also in eastern Atlantic along Africa/Europe.
• Predators: Swordfish are top predators, but juvenile swordfish may fall prey to other larger fish.
• Commercial or recreational interest: Both
• Distinguishing characteristics: Swordfish have a long, flattened bill, which is used for slashing and stunning prey. Their color is darkest on top, generally black or brown, and fades to a lighter color below. They have special eye muscles and a heat exchange system, both of which allow them to swim in deep cold water in search of prey. They also have a streamlined body that facilitates swimming at high speeds.

Role in the Ecosystem

Adult and juvenile swordfish feed at the highest levels of the food chain. This means they are not typically prey to other animals and are important in keeping the ecosystem in balance by consuming smaller fish and invertebrates. Younger swordfish can be preyed upon by sharks and larger predatory fishes.

Additional Information

Market name: Swordfish
Vernacular names: Broadbilled swordfish, Broadbill, Espada, Emperado

Biomass

Biomass refers to the amount of North Atlantic swordfish in the ocean. Scientists cannot collect and weigh every single fish to determine biomass, so they use mathematical models to estimate it instead. These estimates can help determine if a stock is being fished too heavily or if it may be able to tolerate more fishing pressure. Managers can then make appropriate changes in the regulations of the fishery. North Atlantic swordfish biomass is on the rise and the stock is almost completely rebuilt.

Landings

Landings refer to the amount of catch that is brought to land. The United States harvests about 1/5 of the total North Atlantic landings; several other nations (such as Japan, Spain, Portugal, and Canada) are also active in the North Atlantic swordfish fishery. With increased restrictions on the domestic fishery, U.S. landings remain low while international landings have been rising.

Biomass and Landings

Landings and biomass data can sometimes be used to detect trends in a fishery. While it cannot be proven for certain, it seems that the declining trend in North Atlantic swordfish landings is correlated with the increasing trend in biomass. In other words, reducing the catch of swordfish over the past 15 years may have helped the North Atlantic swordfish population increase. The reduction in U.S. landings was driven by changes in management measures, but shifts in market preferences or environmental conditions may have contributed to the decrease in landings as well. Swordfish is a highly migratory species that moves outside of U.S. waters, therefore fishing practices of foreign countries could affect U.S. North Atlantic swordfish landings and the biomass of the population. Also, recreational fishing efforts may impact North Atlantic swordfish populations.

Data sources:
Biomass and landings from ICCAT Report of the 2006 Atlantic Swordfish Stock Assessment Session

Important Dates

1920s – Recreational fishery begins, primarily from Massachusetts to New York
1960s – Long-line gear introduced into commercial fishery, replacing traditional use of harpoons
1966 – International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas is signed creating the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT)
1970s – Recreational fishery develops in Florida
1971 – FDA prohibits sale of swordfish with mercury content greater than 0.5 parts per million
1978 – FDA raises maximum mercury content to 1.0 parts per million
1985 – The Atlantic Swordfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) is implemented, mainly calling for reductions in harvest of smaller swordfish, continued research and monitoring of the North Atlantic swordfish population, and minimization of foreign impacts on the fishery
1990 – ICCAT passes its first recommendation on swordfish, calling for reductions in harvest of undersized North Atlantic swordfish; NMFS follows with a ruling limiting harvest of undersized North Atlantic swordfish
1990 – Magnuson Act amended, giving authority to Secretary of Commerce to manage Atlantic tunas; secretarial authority is delegated to NMFS
1992 – NMFS creates the HMS Management Division to manage Atlantic tunas, sharks, swordfish, and billfish
1999 – FMP for Atlantic Tunas, Swordfish, and Sharks replaces 1985 FMP, still utilizing many of the initial management measures; also calls for U.S. to negotiate international rebuilding plan
1999 – ICCAT establishes a 10-year rebuilding program for North Atlantic swordfish
2000/2001 – NMFS implements several large time and area closures for pelagic longline fishing to reduce bycatch of juvenile swordfish and billfish (DeSoto Canyons: year-round, starting Nov 2000; Florida East Coast: year-round, starting March 2001; Charleston Bump: Feb-April; starting March 2001
2002 – Stock assessment determines that North Atlantic swordfish stock biomass is 94% of levels needed for maximum sustainable yield (B_MSY)
2004 – NMFS implements several bycatch reduction measures in the commercial fishery, such as mandatory use of "circle hooks"; circle hooks reduce the amount of bycatch and allow for easier release of swordfish and other species (such as sea turtles and marine mammals) in comparison to the traditional "J" hook
2006 – Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species FMP is approved, which allows the use of buoy gear in the commercial swordfish fishery, requires reporting of swordfish caught recreationally outside of a fishing tournament, creates closed areas, and shifts the fishing year to a calendar year for all HMS species
2006 – October stock assessment estimates that biomass of North Atlantic swordfish is approximately 99% of BMSY
2007 – U.S. regulations are amended implementing two recommendations from ICCAT; establishes baseline quotas and sets caps on the carryover of underharvests; facilitates the transfer of 15% of the North Atlantic swordfish baseline quota into the reserve category, which would allow it to be transferred to other ICCAT parties with quota allocations; also establishes an option for website catch reporting in the angling and charter/headboat groups

Notes and Links

General Information:
NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Division of Highly Migratory Species is responsible for managing North Atlantic Swordfish in U.S. waters. This site has the most current legislation and actions regarding the North Atlantic swordfish.

The Adopt-a-Billfish program is run out of NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center. This site utilizes satellites and computerized tags to monitor marlin, swordfish, and swordfish. This project shows how new technology and cooperation from anglers can help scientists collect data on these exciting species.

International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT)

NMFS site for reporting recreational landings of swordfish

Fishery Management:
NMFS Highly Migratory Species Management Division Final Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan

Stock Assessments:
ICCAT Report of the 2006 Atlantic Swordfish Stock Assessment Session

NMFS Highly Migratory Species Division SAFE Reports for Atlantic Highly Migratory Species 2000-2007

2008 Annual Report of the United States to ICCAT