Greek swordfish fishery; some trends in the size composition of the catches

Lower jaw fork length (LJFL) measurements taken from 5688 swordfish (Xiphias gladius) individuals landed at the ports of Chania and Kalymnos (Cretan and Aegean Seas correspondingly) from 1986 to 1991 are analyzed to identify possible trends considering the size of fished animals. Results show that the main bulk of catches is composed of animals of LJFL less than 130 cm and this phenomenon is stronger in the area exploited by the Chania fleet. Differences among the annual size distributions are highly significant in both ports but in Kalymnos the pattern of the size composition of the catches is more stable, at least since 1988.