IV 



SWORDFISHING IN THE PACIFIC 



THE swordfish (Xiphias gladius) of the 

 Pacific is the same fish that is so well known 

 in the Atlantic Ocean. Several thousand of 

 these fish are captured every season during 

 July and August along our coast from Block 

 Island to Halifax, N. S. 



The average weight of the swordfish 

 shipped to the Boston market is about 360 

 pounds, and there is a legend among the 

 fishermen that a fish was once brought in 

 that weighed 750 pounds. 



The U. S. Fisheries Commission have 

 never been able to find out where these fish 

 breed. No very small fish have ever been 

 taken along our coast although the Com- 

 mission did capture a 25 pounder on one 

 occasion. It is known that the fish breed in 

 the Mediterranean, but as they appear there 

 [51] 



