When is swordfish available

The State of Maine recommends that pregnant and nursing women, women who may get pregnant, nursing mothers and children under 8 not eat any swordfish. Everyone else should limit swordfish to twice a month.

Raw swordfish steaks should show a whorling pattern in the meat and be firm with no dull or discolored skin. Cut surfaces should be shiny and smooth. Maine Sea Grant. Maine Seafood Guide — Swordfish Large swordfish Xiphias gladius on deck during long-lining operations.

More on contaminants ». Swordfish Sushi name s : Kajiki. At a glance. Recommended servings per month. Eco details:. Most swordfish are caught with longlines, which have high bycatch of juvenile billfish, sea turtles, seabirds and sharks. Although the U. Pelagic longline and some handgear permits are limited access permits, which means that the number of available permits restricts the number of vessels fishing for swordfish.

There are also commercial open access permits for handgear, with the exception of buoy gear. Annual catch limits. Minimum size requirements and landing restrictions. Reporting requirements documenting catch, fishing activities, and sales. Required to carry at-sea fisheries observers upon request. Compliance guides are available for all commercial and recreational regulations across Atlantic highly migratory species fisheries.

Highly migratory species, such as swordfish, have complicated management that requires international cooperation. A swordfish that is off Massachusetts one week could be caught off the coast of Canada the next. These resources must be managed both in the United States and at the international level.

NOAA sets regulations for swordfish based on U. Commercial fishery: In , commercial landings of North Atlantic swordfish totaled 2. Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: Fishermen mainly use pelagic longline gear to harvest swordfish. They may also use rod-and-reel, harpoon, and buoy gear. Handgear used to catch swordfish is very selective and bycatch is minimal.

NOAA Fisheries has taken the following additional measures to prevent bycatch and sustainably manage this fishery. Fishermen are: Required to use large circle hooks and certain types of bait that limit gear interactions with sea turtles.

Circle hooks are specifically designed to minimize the damage caused by hooking, giving animals that are captured and released a better chance at survival. Trained and certified to use special techniques to safely de-hook and release incidentally caught turtles. Required to stop fishing and move 1 nautical mile if they encounter a protected species. Required to use weak hooks in the Gulf of Mexico to reduce incidental catch of bluefin tuna, and are prohibited from using live bait to reduce bycatch of billfish.

Restricted from areas in the Gulf of Mexico to reduce bycatch of all species. Required to carry vessel monitoring systems onboard their boats to ensure compliance with regulations.