Atlantic Swordfish Commercial Minimum Sizes and Retention Limits

Retention limits vary by permit type. Some permits also have different retention limits across regions. Additional requirements may be applicable. View the HMS Commercial Compliance Guide for details. 

Permits without Regionally Determined Limits

Swordfish General Commercial Permit or HMS Charter/Headboat Permit with a Commercial Sale Endorsement

Permit

To commercially harvest swordfish, vessel owners must obtain one of the following permits: 

• Swordfish Directed permit. Vessels with this permit must also have an Atlantic Tunas Longline Category and a shark limited access permits. 

• Swordfish Incidental permit. Vessels with this permit must also have an Atlantic Tunas Longline Category and a shark limited access permits. 

• Swordfish Handgear permit.  

• HMS Commercial Caribbean Small Boat permit, which is valid only in the U.S. Caribbean region. 

• Swordfish General Commercial permit. 

• HMS Charter/Headboat permit with a commercial sale endorsement on non-for-hire trips only. 

An Incidental HMS Squid Trawl permit may be obtained by valid Illex squid moratorium permit holders. 

Buy or renew a permit 

Measurement

Measure lower-jaw fork length in a straight line from the tip of the lower jaw to the fork of the tail. 

Illustration by Diane Rome Peebles. 

Measure cleithrum to caudal keel length by following the curve of the fish's body from the cleithrum to the caudal keel. 

Illustration by Diane Rome Peebles.