North Pacific Swordfish

Xiphias gladius

Also Known As

Broadbill swordfish, Espada, Emperado, A`u, Mekajiki, Shutome

U.S. wild-caught North Pacific swordfish is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations.

Swordfish’s species name, gladius, is derived from the word for the sword carried by Roman legionaires.

Because of their size and the risk of serious injury to the tagging crew, satellite tags are harpooned into large swordfish rather than bringing them aboard.

Swordfish harpoon boat, Dana Point, California.

Swordfish steaks. Photo credit: U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Facts

Availability	Year-round.
Source	U.S. wild-caught from Hawaii, California, U.S. Pacific Island territories, and the high seas.
Taste	Moist, flavorful, and slightly sweet.
Texture	Firm, with a moderately high oil content.
Color	When raw, the flesh varies from white and ivory to pink and orange. When cooked, swordfish meat turns beige.
Health Benefits	Swordfish is an excellent source of selenium, niacin, vitamin B12, and zinc. More information on health and seafood.

Health & Nutrition

Nutrition facts
Serving weight	100 g
Amount per serving
Calories	121
Protein	19.8 g
Fat, total	4.01 g
Saturated fatty acids, total	1.097 g
Carbohydrate	0 g
Sugars, total	0 g
Fiber, total dietary	0 g
Cholesterol	39 mg
Selenium	48.1 mcg
Sodium	90 mg

Seafood Guide