Aquatic Animals

Swordfish Welfare: Longlining and the Hidden Cost of a Seafood Staple

Swordfish are caught using longlining, a method that causes significant bycatch suffering and raises questions about the welfare of the target species during capture.

Key Facts

Longlining for swordfish uses thousands of baited hooks on lines up to 100 km long
Swordfish can take hours to die after being hooked, experiencing extended stress and injury
Bycatch on swordfish longlines includes sea turtles, sharks, seabirds, and dolphins
Swordfish are bilaterally symmetric predators with complex sensory systems
Some swordfish longlining operations use lights and specific hooks to reduce bycatch

Welfare Considerations

The extended time swordfish spend on longlines after hooking causes progressive physiological deterioration. Lactic acid builds up, organs may fail, and the fish may be dead or near death by the time lines are hauled. Bycatch animals experience the same suffering, with the additional welfare harm of being discarded. Turtle mortality on longlines is a particular conservation and welfare crisis.

What You Can Do

Choose pole-and-line or harpoon-caught swordfish over longlined alternatives
Look for Marine Stewardship Council certification that requires bycatch minimisation
Support NGOs campaigning for longline reform and bycatch reduction technology
Ask restaurants and retailers about the catch method before purchasing swordfish