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worth $7.0 minion. The value of the Japanese Pacific swordfish catch, 

 based upon an ex-vessel price of $1.19 (U.S.) in July 1979, was $2,622/mt, 

 for a total of $36 million (U.S.). 



I.D. Current Management of the Fishery 



I.D.I. International Management 



Swordfish in the Pacific Ocean are under no international 

 management scheme at present. A preliminary Management Plan for Pacific 

 Bill fishes, which sets optimum yields for all the species of bill fishes in 

 the U.S. Fishery Conservation Zone around Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, and 

 California, is now in force. 



I.D. 2. Domestic Fishery Management 



California Regulations 



Swordfish fishing in territorial waters, and by 

 California citizens in territorial and international waters, is regulated 

 by the State of California; no other west coast or central Pacific states 

 have restrictions on their fisheries. California has restrictions on 

 commercial and recreational fishing aside from the normal license and 

 permits. Recreational fishing regulations prescribe gear as trolled or 

 cast lures, or bait only, and a daily catch not to exceed two (2) fish per 

 day per angler. Commercial regulations prescribe either the harpoon or 

 gill net only, with no seasonal or catch limits. 



Federal Regulations 



No federal regulations currently pertain to the taking of 

 swordfish by domestic fishermen off the west coast Fishery Conservation 

 Zone (FCZ) or in other FCZ areas of the Pacific. A Federal Fishery 

 Management Plan (FMP) for bill fish and oceanic sharks is being prepared 

 under authorization of the FCMA of 1976 for the central and western Pacific 

 FCZ by the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council, and for the U.S. 

 west coast FCZ by the Pacific Fishery Management Council. These Plans will 

 deal with both foreign and domestic bill fish and oceanic shark fisheries 

 within the FCZ and, when authorized, will supersede any State regulation 

 currently in force for the management of swordfish fishing. 



II. NATURE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF U.S. AND FOREIGN 

 PARTICIPATION IN THE FISHERY 



The public demand for swordfish exceeds the United States supply even 

 in years of high catch. The swordfish fishery supports a substantial 

 small-boat commercial fleet in southern California. In 1979, 1,206 



