Swordfish

The swordfish stock in the South East Pacific Ocean is data limited. Based on the information available, there seems to be no concern for the biomass, but there is concern for fishing pressure.Route 2 (data limited) scoring has been applied to this rating owing to the lack of reference points. Swordfish is considered to have medium resilience to fishing pressure. Improved stock assessments are crucial for this species. The South Eastern Pacific Ocean (SEPO) swordfish stock is managed and assessed by the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC). The last stock assessment was carried out in 2011. A benchmark assessment was carried out in 2022, but has a number of uncertainties and has not provided reference points. A major uncertainty is the structure of the stock. It is not known how far north and west it extends, or whether it is connected to the west Pacific stock. This affects conclusions made about the stock status. The assessment suggests that abundance has been increasing. At the same time, age and length of swordfish in the catch has been decreasing, which could mean more young fish entering the fishery because of good spawning seasons. However, the reason for the increase is not fully understood and cannot be used to provide catch advice. Based on the assessment, we consider there to be no concern for the biomass. Catches of SEPO swordfish (south of 10 degrees North) have increased dramatically, from 15,000 tonnes the mid-2000s to an average of 34,000 tonnes in 2017-2019. The highest catch on record was in 2019 at 37,000t. As catches are above the long term average, and there are no catch limits to prevent stock depletion, we consider there to be concern for fishing pressure.

Few appropriate management measures are in place for South East Pacific Ocean swordfish. There is no management plan to ensure that overexploitation is not taking place. Catches have continuously increased over the past 30 years. Observer coverage, which is important for ensuring data on catch and bycatch is accurate, is too low.Tuna and swordfish are highly migratory species, found on the high seas and in numerous countries' waters. This makes harmonised and effective management challenging. Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs) are responsible for monitoring and managing these stocks on behalf of the countries that access them. However, the degree to which management is implemented, monitored and enforced by each country varies significantly. It is important that commercial buyers choose swordfish that has been caught by vessels that are well regulated by their flag state.This stock is managed and assessed by the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC). Some stocks overlap with the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC). The IATTC and WCPFC endeavour to work together to promote compatibility between their respective conservation and management measures across the Pacific, but this is not always achieved.There is no Total Allowable Catch (TAC) set for swordfish in the south eastern Pacific Ocean (SEPO). Management measures that apply to tuna fisheries, in particular albacore and bigeye, are expected to also benefit swordfish stocks. However, catches of SEPO swordfish are at their highest level on record, averaging 34,000 tonnes in 2017-2019. As the latest assessment in 2022 has been unable to provide clarity on reference points or maximum sustainable yield, continued and uncontrolled increases are concerning. Most swordfish is caught by longlining. Since 2011 only 5% observer coverage has been required on large longliners, considered by the scientific committee to be too low for accurate data: a minimum of 20% coverage is recommended. In addition, data recorded by longliners is considered inadequate for scientific purposes and minimum data standards must be identified and introduced.To help address IUU, the IATTC maintains an IUU Vessel List, maintains a register of authorised fishing vessels, prohibits transhipments at sea for most vessels (some exemptions apply), and requires most other transhipments to be documented and observed. Countries are required to report annually on monitoring, control and compliance of management measures. IATTC was the last tuna RFMO to adopt Port State measures (in 2021) to strengthen work to tackle IUU. IATTC does not report on countries' compliance with management measures and does not have a framework for addressing non-compliance.

Most swordfish catches in the Eastern Pacific Ocean are by longlining. Longlining in the SE Pacific is of particular concern as it is is one of the main causes of the decline in leatherback turtle in the area.Longlining is responsible for the majority (80%) of swordfish catches in the south Eastern Pacific Ocean (S-EPO). While longlining is unlikely to have habitat impacts, it can have a bycatch of highly vulnerable and endangered species, including sharks, turtles, and seabirds. Longlining for swordfish and albacore tuna usually happens in shallower waters than other tuna species, making it more accessible to some species such as seabirds.Data on bycatch in longline fisheries is very poor, partly because there are not enough scientific observers on vessels. Observer coverage is only required to be 5%, and recommendations are for at least 20%. The 5% target is often not achieved. Some mitigation measures are in place, but they often don't follow scientific recommendations for best practice, and their effectiveness has not been evaluated.The Eastern Pacific sub-population of leatherbacks is classified as Critically Endangered and at risk of extinction in the area. The population has declined by 90% since the 1980s. Bycatch and fishery interactions are the primary cause of the decline, mainly by gillnets and longlines in the southern and central Eastern Pacific (from Chile to Mexico). It is estimated that between 400 and 1,000 EPO leatherback turtles are killed by fishing each year, and the population was around 1,700 adults in 2015. An analysis by IATTC in 2022 indicated that the population was subject to overfishing by the fishery, and it was categorised as 'most vulnerable' to EPO fisheries. Urgent measures are needed to reduce impacts on this species, including better observer coverage, and improved handling and release practices to improve post-capture survival. This is in addition to current requirements, which include carrying equipment to promptly release turtles, record all interactions, and for shallow longliners to use circle hooks or finfish bait.Seabird bycatch is also a concern. Albatrosses and petrels are attracted to the baited hooks on longlines. There were at least 126 seabird deaths from EPO longlining in 2020, which is a minimum estimate given the significant data gaps. In previous years, interactions have been recorded with the waved albatross, which it is endemic to the EPO and nests only in the Galapagos Islands. The required mitigation measures do not follow recommended best practice by ACAP (the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels). IATTC requires one or more measures from a set list of options, including weighted branch lines, bird scaring lines and night setting. ACAP recommends the simultaneous use of all three, or hook-shielding or underwater bait setting devices.Sharks are both bycaught and targeted in longline fisheries in the EPO. There are stock assessments for only 4 species, but at least 14 species are caught. In 2020, over 14,000 tonnes of sharks were caught by longlining. The most commonly caught species are silky shark and blue shark. Sharks are vulnerable to fishing pressure, being slow-growing and late to mature, and silky shark appears to be declining. There are also some catches of the critically endangered oceanic whitetip and scalloped hammerhead, and the endangered pelagic thresher and mako species. Management measures include a ban on landing oceanic whitetips, silky sharks, and mobula rays, and restrictions on shark finning. The scientific committee continues to advise that shark data collection is inadequate and must be improved, and better mitigation measures are needed.Bycatch of marine mammals by longlining is not thought to be of concern in this fishery. There were 17 reported interactions in 2020, which is a minimum estimate, given the data gaps. Better data is needed to understand impacts.

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