A licensed fisherman reported finding a dead, roughly six-foot-long swordfish washed up on shore on Haida Gwaii.
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Quinn Barabash was fishing for coho salmon off the coast of Haida Gwaii when he discovered a swordfish that had washed onto shore, describing it as a “rare type of fascinating” because he has “never even heard of someone seeing a swordfish in these sort of northern west coast Canadian waters.”
Barabash said swordfish are “not uncommon in Canadian waters,” but are typically found further south in tropical environments. Scientists, he said, have previously estimated there have only been two other sightings in B.C.
The circumstances of how the fish ended up near land were unclear, but Barabash suggested it likely died offshore because “they hunt deep,” and that it may have come close to shore because swordfish can surface to sunbathe.
After contacting the Department of Fisheries, Barabash said he was asked to go out and take a flesh sample from the fish, adding that he hoped the sample would still be usable despite decomposition, saying some parts were “a plug your nose and get the job done kind of task.”
A PhD candidate at the University of British Columbia, Isabella Morgante, said finding a swordfish that far up north in Haida Gwaii is “quite a rare find,” and that while it could be a one-off, “it’s a good warning and an indicator of warming oceans in B.C.” She also noted ocean temperature impacts this year, including El Niño conditions, can contribute to further changes in where species are found.
Morgante said species distribution shifts are already being seen, and for fish that cannot move to suitable habitat areas, fisheries and capture can decline because the animals become stressed. Barabash said his goal now is to catch one.
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