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Mackerel is a common name applied to a number of different species of pelagic fish, mostly from the family Scombridae. They are found in both temperate and tropical seas, mostly living along the coast or offshore in the oceanic environment.
Mackerel species typically have deeply forked tails and vertical "tiger-like" stripes on their backs with an iridescent green-blue quality.[2][3] Many are restricted in their distribution ranges and live in separate populations or fish stocks based on geography. Some stocks migrate in large schools along the coast to suitable spawning grounds, where they spawn in fairly shallow waters. After spawning they return the way they came in smaller schools to suitable feeding grounds, often near an area of upwelling. From there they may move offshore into deeper waters and spend the winter in relative inactivity. Other stocks migrate across oceans.
Smaller mackerel are forage fish for larger predators, including larger mackerel and Atlantic cod.[4] Flocks of seabirds, whales, dolphins, sharks, and schools of larger fish such as tuna and marlin follow mackerel schools and attack them in sophisticated and cooperative ways. Mackerel flesh is high in omega-3 oils and is intensively harvested by humans. In 2009, over 5 million tons were landed by commercial fishermen.[1] Sport fishermen value the fighting abilities of the king mackerel.[5]
Species
Over 30 different species, principally belonging to the family Scombridae, are commonly referred to as mackerel. The term "mackerel" is derived from Old French and may have originally meant either "marked, spotted" or "pimp, procurer". The latter connection is not altogether clear, but mackerel spawn enthusiastically in shoals near the coast, and medieval ideas on animal procreation were creative.[6]
Scombroid mackerels
About 21 species in the family Scombridae are commonly called mackerel. The type species for the scombroid mackerel is the Atlantic mackerel, Scomber scombrus. Until recently, Atlantic chub mackerel and Indo-Pacific chub mackerel were thought to be subspecies of the same species. In 1999, Collette established, on molecular and morphological considerations, that these are separate species.[7] Mackerel are smaller with shorter lifecycles than their close relatives, the tuna, which are also members of the same family.[8][9]
Scombrini, the true mackerels
The true mackerels belong to the tribe Scombrini.[10] The tribe consists of seven species, each belonging to one of two genera: Scomber or Rastrelliger.[11][12]
| True Mackerels (tribe Scombrini) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common name | Scientific name | Maximum length |
Common length |
Maximum weight |
Maximum age |
Trophic level |
FishBase | FAO | IUCN status |
| Short mackerel | Rastrelliger brachysoma (Bleeker, 1851) |
34.5 cm (13.6 in) | 20 cm (7.9 in) | 2.72 | [13] | [14] |  Data deficient[15]
| ||
| Island mackerel | R. faughni (Matsui, 1967) |
20 cm (7.9 in) | 0.75 kg (1.7 lb) | 3.4 | [16] | Data deficient[17]
| |||
| Indian mackerel | R. kanagurta (Cuvier, 1816) |
35 cm (14 in) | 25 cm (9.8 in) | 4 years | 3.19 | [18] | [19] | Data deficient[20]
| |
| Blue mackerel | Scomber australasicus (Cuvier, 1832) |
44 cm (17 in) | 30 cm (12 in) | 1.36 kg (3.0 lb) | 4.2 | [21] |  Least concern[22]
| ||
| Atlantic chub mackerel | S. colias (Gmelin, 1789) |
3.91 | [23] | Least concern[24]
| |||||
| Chub mackerel | S. japonicus (Houttuyn, 1782) |
64 cm (25 in) | 30 cm (12 in) | 2.9 kg (6.4 lb) | 18 years | 3.09 | [25] | [26] | Least concern[27]
|
| Atlantic mackerel | S. scombrus (Linnaeus, 1758) |
66 cm (26 in) | 30 cm (12 in) | 3.4 kg (7.5 lb) | 12 years west 18 years east |
3.65 | [28] | [29] | Least concern[7]
|
Scomberomorini, the Spanish mackerels
The Spanish mackerels belong to the tribe Scomberomorini, which is the "cousin tribe" of the true mackerels.[30] This tribe consists of 21 species in all—18 of those are classified into the genus Scomberomorus,[31] two into Grammatorcynus,[32] and a single species into the monotypic genus Acanthocybium.[33]
| Spanish Mackerels (tribe Scomberomorini) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common name | Scientific name | Maximum length |
Common length |
Maximum weight |
Maximum age |
Trophic level |
FishBase | FAO | IUCN status |
| Wahoo | Acanthocybium solandri (Cuvier in Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1832) |
250 cm | 170 cm | 83 kg | years | 4.4 | [34] | Least concern[35]
| |
| Shark mackerel | Grammatorcynus bicarinatus (Quoy & Gaimard, 1825) |
112 cm | cm | 13.5 kg | years | 4.5 | [36] | Least concern[37]
| |
| Double-lined mackerel | G. bilineatus (Rüppell, 1836) |
100 cm | 50 cm | 3.5 kg | years | 4.18 | [38] | Least concern[39]
| |
| Serra Spanish mackerel | Scomberomorus brasiliensis (Collette, Russo & Zavala-Camin, 1978) |
cm | cm | kg | years | 3.31 | [40] | Least concern[41]
| |
| King mackerel | S. cavalla (Cuvier, 1829) |
184 cm | 70 cm | 45 kg | 14 years | 4.5 | [42] | [43] | Least concern[44]
|
| Narrow-barred Spanish mackerel | S. commerson (Lacepède, 1800) |
240 cm | 120 cm | 70 kg | years | 4.5 | [45] | [46] |  Near threatened[47]
|
| Monterey Spanish mackerel | S. concolor (Lockington, 1879) |
cm | cm | kg | years | 4.24 | [48] |  Vulnerable[49]
| |
| Indo-Pacific king mackerel | S. guttatus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) |
76 cm | 55 cm | kg | years | 4.28 | [50] | [51] | Data deficient[52]
|
| Korean mackerel | S. koreanus (Kishinouye, 1915) |
150 cm | 60 cm | 15 kg | years | 4.2 | [53] | Least concern[54]
| |
| Streaked Spanish mackerel | S. lineolatus (Cuvier, 1829) |
80 cm | 70 cm | kg | years | 4.5 | [55] | Least concern[56]
| |
| Atlantic Spanish mackerel | S. maculatus (Mitchill, 1815) |
91 cm | cm | 5.89 kg | 5 years | 4.5 | [57] | [58] | Least concern[59]
|
| Papuan Spanish mackerel | S. multiradiatus Munro, 1964 |
35 cm | cm | 0.5 kg | years | 4.0 | [60] | Least concern[61]
| |
| Australian spotted mackerel | S. munroi (Collette & Russo, 1980) |
104 cm | cm | 10.2 kg | years | 4.3 | [62] | Near threatened[63]
| |
| Japanese Spanish mackerel | S. niphonius (Cuvier, 1832) |
100 cm | cm | 7.1 kg | years | 4.5 | [64] | [65] | Data deficient[66]
|
| Queen mackerel | S. plurilineatus Fourmanoir, 1966 |
120 cm | cm | 12.5 kg | years | 4.2 | [67] | Data deficient[68]
| |
| Queensland school mackerel | S. queenslandicus (Munro, 1943) |
100 cm | 80 cm | 12.2 kg | years | 4.5 | [69] | Least concern[70]
| |
| Cero mackerel | S. regalis (Bloch, 1793) |
183 cm | cm | 7.8 kg | years | 4.5 | [71] | Least concern[72]
| |
| Broadbarred king mackerel | S. semifasciatus (Macleay, 1883) |
120 cm | cm | kg | 10 years | 4.5 | [73] | Least concern[74]
| |
| Pacific sierra | S. sierra (Cuvier, 1832) |
99 cm | 60 cm | 8.2 kg | years | 4.5 | [75] | Least concern[76]
| |
| Chinese mackerel | S. sinensis (Cuvier, 1832) |
247 cm | 100 cm | kg | years | 4.5 | [77] | Data deficient[76]
| |
| West African Spanish mackerel | S. tritor (Cuvier, 1832) |
cm | cm | kg | years | 4.26 | [78] | Least concern[76]
| |
Other mackerel
In addition, a number of species with mackerel-like characteristics in the families Carangidae, Hexagrammidae and Gempylidae are commonly referred to as mackerel. Some confusion had occurred between the Pacific jack mackerel (Trachurus symmetricus) and the heavily harvested Chilean jack mackerel (T. murphyi). These have been thought at times to be the same species, but are now recognised as separate species.[79]