3001 SE Gran Park Way, Stuart, FL 34997 Call Us 772.334.6666
3001 SE Gran Park Way
Stuart, FL 34997
Call Us
772.334.6666

Swordfish

Swordfish

$25.00


Scientific Name: Xiphias gladius
Common Name: Broadbilled swordfish, broadbill, espada, emperado
Flavor: Mild/Moderate
Texture: Firm


Product Profile: Swordfish is moist and flavorful with a slightly sweet taste. Steaks have a moderately high oil content and a firm, meaty texture. The flesh color can vary from white and ivory to pink and orange. Color variation does not indicate quality, and all swordfish turns beige after cooking.Swordfish steaks have a whorling pattern and shouldn’t be confused with the mako shark’s more circular meat pattern. Swordfish also has a smooth skin; mako’s is rough.


Product Forms: Fresh: H&G, Sides, or “halves”, Loins (or “quarters”), Steak-ready loins, Wheels, Chunks (slabs or sections), Steaks Frozen: H&G, Sides, Loins, Steak-ready loins, Wheels, Chunks, IQF steaks
Substitutions: Halibut, Mako shark, Yellowfin tuna
Global Supply: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, United States, Uruguay

SKU: NE-FF-SWD Category: Product ID: 1353

Description

There is only one species of swordfish, Xiphias gladius. This nonschooling fish roams temperate and tropical seas worldwide and is hunted by more than 30 nations. Swordfish harvesting is governed by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas. U.S. Atlantic fishermen operate under a strictly enforced ICCAT quota, but not all ICCAT nations observe their quotas. Swordfish grow to over 1,000 pounds but average 50 to 200 pounds. Most are caught by longline, the rest by gillnet and a very small amount by harpoon. The fishery is conducted at night (except the harpoon fishery). The best catches from the longline fleet come on the full moon, when nights are bright and swordfish are feeding heavily. Thus, the best catches occur during the final quarter of the moon. The opposite is true for gillnet fisheries. The darker the night, the better the fishing (because sword-fish can’t see the net). Generally speaking, longlined fish are considered the best. Frozen-at-sea swordfish, known as “clipper,” is often a high-quality product and less expensive than fresh sword, which can be less fresh than FAS.


Images and data provided by SeafoodSource. To view the entire Seafood Handbook, visit SeafoodSource.com.
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