The swordfish is a large, powerful predator of the open ocean, named for its long, flat bill. It is prized by fishers and is one of the fastest and most wide-ranging fish in the sea.
Interesting facts
- Its long, flat bill is used to slash and stun prey, not to spear it.
- Adult swordfish have no scales and no teeth.
- They dive deep during the day and rise towards the surface at night.
- North Atlantic swordfish stocks recovered after strict limits in the late 1990s and 2000s.
- Unlike marlins, swordfish have a flattened bill and no pelvic fins.
- Traditional harpoon fishing for swordfish continues in the Strait of Messina, Italy.
Behaviour
Swordfish are usually solitary. They make daily vertical migrations, following prey from deep water by day to the surface at night.
Breeding and young
Females release millions of eggs into warm surface waters. Young swordfish have scales and teeth that they lose as they grow.
Threats and conservation
Overfishing and accidental capture in longline fisheries.
Where to see it
- Offshore waters of Florida’s east coast (sport fishing)
- Strait of Messina, Italy (traditional fishery)
- Footage from deep-sea research vehicles
- Rarely seen by divers
Status source: IUCN Red List. Profile last reviewed September 2026.
