In only a few short years, a premier daytime deep-drop fishery for big swordfish has developed off southeastern Australia. Now scientists are working to learn more about those fish, particularly to track their movements. Satellite tags that track movements and behavior have been widely deployed on marlin but less so on swordfish. The knowledge gained in this “great race” is expected to help researchers and fishery managers maximize the potential of this increasingly popular fishery while ensuring its sustainability.
![Swordfish off of Australia](https://www.sportfishingmag.com/uploads/2021/09/spf0919-swordfish-race-1-1024x682.jpg)
![Tagging a swordfish](https://www.sportfishingmag.com/uploads/2021/09/spf0919-swordfish-race-2-682x1024.jpg)
![Satellite tracking data of swordfish](https://www.sportfishingmag.com/uploads/2021/09/spf0919-swordfish-race-3-1024x521.jpg)
![Tags for swordfish](https://www.sportfishingmag.com/uploads/2021/09/spf0919-swordfish-race-4.jpg)
![The Great Swordfish Race is starting](https://www.sportfishingmag.com/uploads/2021/09/spf0919-swordfish-race-5.jpg)