Billfish Working Group

Swordfish (Xiphias gladius) --- North Pacific

◊ Biological Profile

Swordfish are highly migratory and have a cosmopolitan distribution in tropical, temperate, and sometimes boreal waters, across a range that exceeds 100° of latitude (approximately 60°N to 45°S ). It is the most widely distributed of all billfishes.

North Pacific swordfish are divided into two stocks. Sub-Area 1 is the Western and Central North Pacific (WCNPO) swordfish stock. Sub-Area 2 is the Eastern North Pacific (EPO) swordfish stock. Sub-Area 2 also includes waters north of the equator and south to 20°S, from 155°W and eastward.

Swordfish are apex predators that feed opportunistically. Squids and fishes are major prey items. The maximum size is off Hawaii is about 220 cm in eye-fork length (12 years old) for females and about 200 cm in eye-fork length (11 years old) for males.

Distribution of swordfish in the North Pacific Ocean.

◊ Fisheries for Swordfish in the North Pacific Ocean

The largest catches of swordfish in the North Pacific Ocean have been taken by Japan for more than five decades. Since about 1990, however, the combined catches of other nations (Chinese-Taipei, Mexico, USA) have approached the Japanese tonnage in several years. The long-term catch trend has been roughly stable except for peaks around 1957-1961 and 1992-1994.

swo_gear_list - Click to zoom up — Main fisheries landing striped marlin
by fishinge gear and country.

Annual landings of swordfish from ISC members
in the North Pacific Ocean, 1951-2011.

◊ Stock Status and Conservation Information

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