2025 Atlantic Swordfish Landing Updates
Commercial and recreational landings information for North Atlantic and South Atlantic swordfish is posted monthly.
NOAA Fisheries estimates landings using commercial dealer reports and reports by anglers in the Highly Migratory Species Non-Tournament Recreational Swordfish and Billfish Landings Database and the Recreational Billfish Survey.
These estimates are subject to late reporting and do not include discards. Totals are reported in metric tons (mt) dressed weight (dw) (1 mt is equal to 2,204.6 pounds).
January 1 through March 31, 2025
Posted April 15
The table below provides preliminary landings estimates as of March 31, 2025, for the Atlantic swordfish fisheries for the 2025 fishing year.
The 2025 annual directed landings quota shown below has not been adjusted for 2024 underharvest and does not include the reserve category allocation or international quota transfers. Once the 2025 quota adjustment is effective, the adjusted amount will be reflected on the monthly landings report.
North Atlantic Swordfish
2025 Landings(mt dw) | Percent of 2025 Baseline Quota Taken(2025 Baseline Quota) | Percent of 2025 Adjusted Quota Taken(2025 Adjusted Quota) | 2024 Landings During the Same Time Period(mt dw) | ||
Directed Fishery1 | Jan 1 – June 30 | 143.4 | 10.9 % (1,318.8 mt dw) | N/A | 145.4 |
July 1 – Dec 31 | 0.0 | 0.0 % (1,318.8 mt dw) | N/A | 0.0 | |
Incidental Fishery2 | Commercial Landings | 2.2 | 2.1 % (300 mt dw) | N/A | 2.2 |
Recreational Landings | 4.1 | 2.1 | |||
Total | 149.7 | 5.1 % (2,937.6 mt dw) | N/A | 149.8 |
- Annual directed quota is split equally into two 6-month seasons (baseline: 1,318.8 mt dw per season). It contains landings reported by vessels with certain permits. These are the directed swordfish limited access permit, handgear swordfish limited access permit, swordfish general commercial permit, HMS Commercial Caribbean Small Boat permit, or HMS Charter/Headboat permit (when on a non for-hire trip).
- Recreational landings (HMS Angling permit or HMS Charter/Headboat permit when on a for-hire trip) and commercial landings by incidental swordfish limited access and incidental HMS squid trawl permit holders count toward the annual incidental quota.
South Atlantic Swordfish
2025 Landings(mt dw) | Percent of 2025 Baseline Quota Taken(2025 Baseline Quota) | Percent of 2025 Adjusted Quota Taken(2025 Adjusted Quota) | 2024 Landings During the Same Time Period(mt dw) | |
Directed Fishery (annual quota) | 0.0 | 0.0 % (75.2 mt dw) | 0.0 % (75.2 mt dw) | 0.0 |
January 1 through February 28, 2025
Posted March 24
The table below provides preliminary landings estimates as of February 28, 2025, for the
Atlantic swordfish fisheries for the 2025 fishing year.
The 2025 annual directed landings quota shown below has not been adjusted for 2024
underharvest and does not include the reserve category allocation or international quota transfers. Once the 2025 quota adjustment is effective, the adjusted amount will be reflected on the monthly landings report.
North Atlantic Swordfish
2025 Landings(mt dw) | Percent of 2025 Baseline Quota Taken(2025 Baseline Quota) | Percent of 2025 Adjusted Quota Taken(2025 Adjusted Quota) | 2024 Landings During the Same Time Period(mt dw) | ||
Directed Fishery1 | Jan 1 – June 30 | 86.6 | 6.6 % (1,318.8 mt dw) | N/A | 82.1 |
July 1 – Dec 31 | 0.0 | 0.0 % (1,318.8 mt dw) | N/A | 0.0 | |
Incidental Fishery2 | Commercial Landings | 1.8 | 1.3 % (300 mt dw) | N/A | 1.8 |
Recreational Landings | 2.1 | 1.2 | |||
Total | 90.5 | 3.1 % (2,937.6 mt dw) | N/A | 85.0 |
- Annual directed quota is split equally into two 6-month seasons (baseline: 1,318.8 mt dw per season). It contains landings reported by vessels with certain permits. These are the directed swordfish limited access permit, handgear swordfish limited access permit, swordfish general commercial permit, HMS Commercial Caribbean Small Boat permit, or HMS Charter/Headboat permit (when on a non for-hire trip).
- Recreational landings (HMS Angling permit or HMS Charter/Headboat permit when on a for-hire trip) and commercial landings by incidental swordfish limited access and incidental HMS squid trawl permit holders count toward the annual incidental quota.
South Atlantic Swordfish
2025 Landings(mt dw) | Percent of 2025 Baseline Quota Taken(2025 Baseline Quota) | Percent of 2025 Adjusted Quota Taken(2025 Adjusted Quota) | 2024 Landings During the Same Time Period(mt dw) | |
Directed Fishery (annual quota) | 0.0 | 0.0 % (75.2 mt dw) | 0.0 % (75.2 mt dw) | 0.0 |
January 1 through January 31, 2025
Posted February 19
The table below provides preliminary landings estimates as of January 31, 2025, for the Atlantic swordfish fisheries for the 2025 fishing year.
The 2025 annual directed landings quota shown below has not been adjusted for 2024 underharvest and does not include the reserve category allocation or international quota transfers. Once the 2025 quota adjustment is effective, the adjusted amount will be reflected on the monthly landings report.
North Atlantic Swordfish
2025 Landings(mt dw) | Percent of 2025 Baseline Quota Taken(2025 Baseline Quota) | Percent of 2025 Adjusted Quota Taken(2025 Adjusted Quota) | 2024 Landings During the Same Time Period(mt dw) | ||
Directed Fishery1 | Jan 1 – June 30 | 34.8 | 2.6 % (1,318.8 mt dw) | N/A | 45.6 |
July 1 – Dec 31 | 0.0 | 0.0 % (1,318.8 mt dw) | N/A | 0.0 | |
Incidental Fishery2 | Commercial Landings | 1.1 | 0.5 % (300 mt dw) | N/A | 0.6 |
Recreational Landings | 0.5 | 0.3 | |||
Total | 36.4 | 1.2 % (2,937.6 mt dw) | N/A | 46.5 |
- Annual directed quota is split equally into two 6-month seasons (baseline: 1,318.8 mt dw per season). It contains landings reported by vessels with certain permits. These are the directed swordfish limited access permit, handgear swordfish limited access permit, swordfish general commercial permit, HMS Commercial Caribbean Small Boat permit, or HMS Charter/Headboat permit (when on a non for-hire trip).
- Recreational landings (HMS Angling permit or HMS Charter/Headboat permit when on a for-hire trip) and commercial landings by incidental swordfish limited access and incidental HMS squid trawl permit holders count toward the annual incidental quota.
South Atlantic Swordfish
2025 Landings(mt dw) | Percent of 2025 Baseline Quota Taken(2025 Baseline Quota) | Percent of 2025 Adjusted Quota Taken(2025 Adjusted Quota) | 2024 Landings During the Same Time Period(mt dw) | |
Directed Fishery (annual quota) | 0.0 | 0.0 % (75.2 mt dw) | 0.0 % (75.2 mt dw) | 0.0 |