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STATUS REPORT: PACIFIC SWORDFISH 



by 



James L. Squire, Jr. 



Southwest Fisheries Center 



Oceanic Fisheries Resources Division 



La Jolla, Cal ifornia 



ABSTRACT 



The stock structure of swordfish populations in the Pacific is not 

 clear. Information and data evaluated at the Bill fish Stock Assessment 

 Workshop suggest the population consists of either a single Pacific-wide 

 stock, or northwestern, southwestern, and eastern Pacific stocks. For the 

 1952-1963 data series, a production model analysis gave a Pacific-wide MSY 

 estimate of 20,000 mt with an effort level of 2.2 million hooks/5° area. 

 The average (1966-1975) catch of 14,000 mt produced by 1.8 million hooks/5' 

 area indicates that the fishery does not appear to be overexploiting the 

 stock, and that the stock is in good condition. 



Recent catches (1978) indicate levels of total catch equalling about 

 18,000 mt, approximately 2,000 mt less than MSY. High demands world-wide 

 may drive the catch figure to the level of current MSY estimates or above 

 within a short period of time. 



