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Swordfish » Swordfish (imported)

	Eco-Worst Choice
	Avoid or eat infrequently until improvements are made

Health Alert

Elevated levels of mercury.

Women and kids should not eat at all.
Men should limit their meals.

Related Fish

Recommendations
Eco-Best Mahimahi from U.S. caught by troll/pole Farmed striped bass	Eco-OK Swordfish from U.S.

Recommendations

Details About Swordfish (imported)

a.k.a. Xiphias gladius, broadbilled swordfish, broadbill, espada, emperado

Health Details

This is an Eco-Worst choice. If you decide to eat it, we recommend the following due to elevated mercury levels:

Women should not eat at all
Men should eat no more than 1 meal per month
Kids up to age 12 should not eat at all

More about seafood and health »

Eco Details

Most swordfish are caught with longlines, which have high bycatch of juvenile billfish, sea turtles, seabirds and sharks.
Although the U.S. has imposed strict regulations in the Pacific to reduce bycatch of endangered sea turtles, foreign fleets are not subject to these restrictions, and there is no international management for swordfish in the Pacific.

U.S. swordfish populations are almost fully recovered in the North Atlantic.

Nutritional Information

Serving = 100 g of raw edible food, wild species.

	Amount per serving
Calories	121 g
Total Fat	4.00 g
Total Protein	19.8 g
Omega-3	0.82 g
Cholesterol	39 mg
Sodium	90 mg

Source: USDA

More About Swordfish (imported)

A voracious predator, the swordfish uses its 2-3 foot sword nose to spear prey. Popular with diners, it has been severely overfished, particularly in Atlantic waters. It lives a short, fast life, growing quickly to as much as 14 feet, or 4.3 meters.

Commercial Sources

Swordfish are found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans, including the Mediterranean Sea, the Sea of Marmara, the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. They occur in tropical, temperate and sometimes cold waters.

The main sources of swordfish are Taiwan, Japan and Spain. Swordfish sold in the U.S. market are primarily from Singapore, Mexico, Brazil and Chile.

Capture Methods

Swordfish come from marine fisheries, not fish farms. They are primarily caught with longlines. Additional types of fishing gear include harpoons, gillnets and trawls.

This guide is produced in collaboration with the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

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