Pacific Fresh Swordfish A Sustainable Seafood Choice

Love swordfish steaks, but a bit hesitant about purchasing swordfish for sale for ethical reasons? Relax! You can enjoy your fresh swordfish without guilt as long as you pay attention to its origins. Here’s what you should know about fresh swordfish and the factors that make swordfish steaks and fillets an excellent addition to your diet.
Some Fresh Swordfish is a Sustainable Choice
Nothing quite says summer like fresh swordfish on the grill, but many people hesitate to buy swordfish for sale because of sustainability and ethical fishing concerns. While there are concerns about the sustainability of swordfish caught overseas, the NOAA and the Monterey Bay Aquarium have rated nearly all swordfish caught in U.S. waters – and particularly in eastern Pacific and California waters – either a Good or Best Choice for those who are concerned about seafood sustainability.
More specifically, swordfish caught with harpoon or handlines in the U.S. Canada, North Atlantic and East Pacific are a Best Choice. Swordfish caught off the California coast using drift gillnets are a Good Alternative, because the gillnets result in little to no unintended catch of endangered sea creatures.
Swordfish Population is “Abundant” and “Sustainable”
According to the NOAA Fishwatch, the population of Pacific swordfish is abundant and not overfished, the fishing rate is sustainable and the habitat impacts are minimal. The biggest concern is “bycatch,” fish and sea creatures caught unintentionally by nets, and the California commercial fishing industry is heavily regulated to keep bycatch to a minimal, acceptable level.
Swordfish Available Year-Round
Swordfish is available year-round, but fresh swordfish from California is most abundant from August 15 through January 31 each year because of a combination of swordfish migratory patterns and seasonal fishing restrictions. In 2010, U.S. commercial fishermen landed more than 800,000 pounds of swordfish off the West Coast, but you’ll seldom see the best fresh California swordfish for sale. The majority of fresh swordfish from California is sold directly to the domestic seafood restaurant business.
Buy Fresh Swordfish Direct from an Online Seafood Market
If you’ve ever tasted the difference between swordfish steaks prepared in the best restaurant kitchens and the frozen swordfish available at your local grocer, you’d never believe they were the same fish. Unless you live on the West Coast, you don’t have easy access to California swordfish – at least, until now. These days, if you want to enjoy the flavor and health benefits of fresh swordfish, you can buy it directly from an online seafood market and taste the difference.