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California), Japan, and Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, and Costa Rica. These 

 latter four countries also have coastal handline fisheries for swordfish. 

 In addition, incidental catches are sometimes made with purse seines, and 

 by gill nets which are being fished for other species. 



I.B. Trends in Catch and Effort 



The total annual catch of swordfish in the Pacific Ocean increased 

 from 11,300 mt in 1952 to a high of 24,300 mt in 1961 (Table 1); since 1961 

 the catch has fluctuated between 10,000 and 19,000 mt. Catch rates 

 decreased in 1971, the year that the Food and Drug Administration began to 

 enforce guidelines on mercury contamination in fish in the U.S. and Canada. 

 However, even without the U.S. and Canadian market for imported swordfish, 

 the total Pacific catches have increased in recent years, peaking at 19,300 

 mt in 1976. The FDA limits were relaxed in 1979. 



In 1976, Japan produced over 90% of the total Pacific swordfish 

 catch. Taiwan, Korea, Peru, and the U.S. (in that order) produced the 

 remaining 10%. The total Pacific swordfish catch by country is given in 

 Table 2. Annual catch has ranged from 11,000 to 24,300 mt, with current 

 catches averaging about 17,500 mt. 



Within the U.S. Fishery Enforcement Zone (waters to 200 nm) , a 

 commercial and sport fishery exists for swordfish by U.S., Japanese, and 

 other foreign nationals. Table 3 gives a summary of the estimated 

 swordfish catch, by location, within this zone. The harpoon and drift gill 

 net fishery off California accounts for approximatley 95X of the domestic 

 swordfish production in the Pacific. The harpoon fishery substantially 

 increased its catch during the 1970's; Figure 3 shows the California catch 

 (1918-1978) in mt. The largest catch was recorded in 1978 (1,609 mt) , 

 equalling 12.4% of the 1971-1976 Pacific-wide annual average. Up to 1979 

 the harpoon was the major gear type; in 1979, however, it was estimated 

 that 37% of the catch (324 mt) was made with drift gill nets. 



The amount of foreign longline effort being targeted upon swordfish 

 is unknown. The known effective fishing effort for Pacific swordfish has 

 fluctuated between 270 million and 550 million hooks (Figures 4 and 5). 

 The level in 1975 was about 300 million hooks. Foreign and domestic drift 

 gill net effort for billfishes and other species appears to be increasing 

 rapidly. 



I.e. Value of Catch 



In the United States, the ex-vessel price of swordfish on the fresh 

 market ranges from $1.75 to $3.50/lb. In the California fishery, the 

 average ex-vessel price in 1980 was about $2.50/lb. Ex-vessel (dressed) 

 prices of $2.50-$3.00/lb. would bring $5,000-$6,000 per short ton, or 

 $5,500-$6,600/mt. Assuming a price of $2.00/lb., the catch in 1978 was 



