Swordfish (Xiphias gladius)
Around 16,000 dolphins are killed each year in Morocco’s illegal driftnets set for swordfish
Local names: Agula, emperador, espadon, miekkakala, pesce spada, pez espada, schwertfisch, svaerdfisk, sverdfisk, swardfisk, swordfish, xiphias, zwaardvisch
Main commercial products: Fresh, frozen, and smoked fillets and steaks
Main markets: Western Europe, USA, Japan; demand for fresh swordfish is high and growing in most Mediterranean countries
Fishing grounds: Throughout its global range. EU fleets operate in the North Atlantic, Mediterranean Sea, and Black Sea, with Spanish and Portuguese fleets also operating in the South Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, and the Indian Ocean. Roughly one-third of Europe’s catches come from the Mediterranean Sea and overall, catches from the Mediterranean account for 14% of global catches.
European fleets*: Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece, UK, Malta, France, Albania, Ireland
* in order of landings in 2004, largest to smallest; Spain alone accounted for 66% of Europe’s catch and 21% of the global catch; overall, the EU accounted for 32% of global catches in 2004
Fishing methods: Predominantly surface longlines; some gillnets and illegal driftnets in the Mediterranean; minor catches from harpoon, trap, and recreational fisheries
Current populations: The current exploitation level of Mediterranean swordfish populations is thought to be sustainable in the short-term.
North Atlantic populations seem to be recovering from depleted levels in the 1990s; however the population remains classified as Endangered.
Little is known about populations in the South Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, but they are probably overfished.
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