Xiphias gladius
The swordfish, with a flat, long bill like a sword. It descends to hundreds of meters by day and rises at night; a target of longline and of night and deep-water sport fishing.
Also called: espadarte, meca, agulhão-espadarte, swordfish
The espadarte, or swordfish, is the only member of the family Xiphiidae: an oceanic fish with a long, flat bill, no pelvic fins, and no scales as an adult, exceeding 4 m and hundreds of kilograms. It lives in all oceans, from tropical to temperate waters, and makes long migrations. It descends to great depths by day and rises near the surface at night, hunting fish and squid, which it can strike with its bill. Large fish accumulate a lot of mercury in their flesh. In Brazil it is a traditional target of pelagic longline, and the South Atlantic stock is managed by ICCAT. Sport fishing is done at night, with squid baits drifting, or by day, with baits hundreds of meters deep.
Elongated, rounded body, no scales as an adult, dark brown to black on the back, fading toward the belly. Long, flat, smooth bill, like a blade. Tall, stiff first dorsal fin that does not fold down; no pelvic fins; a single large keel on each side of the tail base. Differs from the marlins and the sailfish, which have a round bill and pelvic fins.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Open sea along the whole coast, over the slope, seamounts, and oceanic fronts.
Habitat: Open sea and slope; by day at great depths, at night near the surface; thermal fronts and seamounts.
coast
states
Amapá, Pará, Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe, Bahia, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul
Present all year in open sea; trips depend on calm seas.
Nighttime. At night it rises to hunt near the surface; by day it stays hundreds of meters down.
Tolerates cold water at depth.
A cold front brings rough seas.
On full-moon nights, night hunting tends to be deeper; dark nights are preferred for surface fishing.
Not very sensitive.
Follows thermal fronts and slope breaks.
Not very sensitive in open sea.
Rough seas prevent drift fishing.
No significant tide in the ocean; current is what matters.
By day, 300 m or more; at night, 0 to 100 m.
lures
natural baits
accessories
At night, drift with baits at several depths and chemical light near the hook; the bite usually comes as a sudden slack in the line.
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Conservation: Not on the national list (Portaria GM/MMA 1.667/2026). Global assessment: Near Threatened (IUCN, 2021). The South Atlantic stock is managed by ICCAT.
Catching swordfish is prohibited on the Brazilian coast when weighing less than 25 kg or measuring less than 125 cm, measured from the lower jaw to the tail fork. The ordinance tolerates up to 15% of fish below the size limit in the total catch. We have not found an act that revokes it, but confirm that it is in force with the competent agency.
Release it in the water, without bringing it aboard: cut the leader near the hook if you cannot remove it safely. The bill can injure: never hold it by the bill while the fish is still active.
Firm flesh, excellent in grilled steaks. Large fish accumulate mercury, so consumption should be moderate, especially for pregnant women and children.
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.0038, b = 3.14; FishBase (estimativa bayesiana por forma do corpo na família, comprimento total)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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The season weights (months), the time of day and the sensitivities (cold, pressure, moon, wind, rain, tide, strong light, murky water and noise) are the app's editorial estimates, based on the literature below and on the field experience of anglers and guides. They are not official data nor a measurement made for this species, and they may vary by region and year. Closed seasons and legal rules appear in the rules section, with the norm and a link.
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