A new stock assessment conducted in September 2013 by the scientific committee of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) concluded that the stock of North Atlantic swordfish remains rebuilt at a sustainable population level.
The assessment also predicts that current levels of catch are likely to maintain the North Atlantic swordfish in a rebuilt condition into the future.
Along with population recovery, U.S. catch of North Atlantic swordfish in the United States has increased in recent years due to efforts to revitalize U.S. fisheries.
For many years there was a gap between the U.S. landings and the U.S. quota. However, in 2012 U.S. landings of North Atlantic swordfish were the highest since the 1990s, while still remaining sustainable.
NOAA Fisheries lists the current status of North Atlantic swordfish in the United States as having a sustainable fishing rate, not overfished, and is above its target population level.
source: NOAA Fisheries