Adult swordfish have few natural enemies. Known predators include sperm and killer whales and large sharks. Fish caught on the commercial fisheries are predominately 4-5 years old. Maximum age is thought to be 9 years. There is some evidence swordfish in the Pacific may have a slower growth rate and smaller maximum size than fish in the Atlantic.
Females apparently grow to larger sizes than males.
They also seem to grow faster and are proportionally heavier at the same length. Migration Tag return data indicate swordfish either make limited local movements during the year or return each year to the same feeding grounds. However, tagging studies have shown a few swordfish make substantial seasonal migration. In studies in the Pacific, swordfish appear to move northward from Baja California in the spring to California in the summer and fall, then move off-shore to spawn. Tagging studies also show some daily migration patterns.