Taking into account that, by the end of August, 70% of the swordfish quota available to the Portuguese fleet in the Atlantic Ocean south of 5º N had not been used, in accordance with Order No. 31/DG/2023, issued under Article 6(3) of Ministerial Order No. 237/2022 of September 14, swordfish fishing is hereby opened in the Atlantic Ocean south of 5º N, as from 00:00 on September 12, 2023, to all vessels licensed to operate in that area with a surface longline and, with regard to vessels registered on the mainland, only to those with an allocated quota listed in Annex II of the aforementioned Order.