Mackerel

Atlantic mackerel, Scomber scombrus

Mackerel is a common name for various swift-moving, marine fish of the Scrombidae family of the Perciformes order, with the exception of the similar, but deeper-bodied tunas (tribe Thunnini) and the bonitos (tribe Sardini) that are also part of the same family. Mackerels, and all of the members of the Scrombidae family, are characterized by a long, slender, streamlined body; deeply forked tails; a very narrow portion of body right before the tail; and finlets behind the second dorsal and the anal fins. The term mackerel is also applied to all members of the Scrombidae family, which is sometimes known as the mackerel family. Furthermore, the term also is used as a common name to various other fish in other families, such as the jack mackerels in the Carangidae family in the same Perciformes order.

Overview

Mackerels are part of the Scrombridae family of the Suborder Scrombroidei. The family includes mackerels, tunas, and bonitas. The suborder includes also barracudas, snake mackerels (family Gempylidae), and cutlassfishes (Nelson 1994).

Members of the Scombridae family have two dorsal fins with five to 12 finlets behind the second dorsal and the anal fins (Nelson 1994). The first dorsal fin has nine to 27 rays, the pelvic fins have six rays and are placed behind the pectoral fins, which are high on the body (Nelson 1994). Mackerels, like tunas, have a deeply forked or crescent-shaped tail, and the body is very narrow right before the tail.

Within the family, Nelson (1994) recognizes two subfamilies: Gasterochismatinae, with just one species (Gasterochisma melampus, the bigscale mackerel or butterfly mackerel) and Scombrinae (with 14 genera of mackerels, tunas, and bonitas). The tunas are placed in the Thunnini tribe and bonitos in the Sardinia tribe.

The "true mackerels" comprise the tribe Scombrini, with two genera, Scomber and Rastrelliger and six species (Nelson 1994). The tribe Grammatorcynini has one genus, Grammatorcynus, with two species of "double-lined mackerels." The tribe Scomberomorini has two genera, Acanthocybium and Scomberomorus' with 19 species that comprise the "Spanish mackerels."

Description

| name = Atlantic Spanish mackerel | image = Scmac_u0.gif Scomberomorus maculatus

| name = King mackerel | image = Sccav_u0.gif Scomberomorus cavalla

Mackerels can be found in all tropical and temperate seas. Most live offshore in the oceanic environment, but a few, like the Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus maculatus), enter bays and can be caught near bridges and piers.

Common features of mackerels are a slim, cylindrical shape (as opposed to the tunas, which are deeper bodied) and numerous finlets on the dorsal and ventral sides behind the dorsal and anal fins. The scales are extremely small, if present. They are fast swimming.

The largest species called "mackerel" is the king mackerel (Scomberomorus cavalla), which can grow to 66 inches (1.68 m).

fast swimming, i

A female mackerel lays about 500,000 eggs at one time.

The king mackerel (Scomberomorus cavalla) is a migratory species of mackerel that lives its entire life in the open waters of the western Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. It is an important species to both the commercial and recreational fishing industries.

The king mackerel is a sub-tropical species of the Atlantic Coast of the Americas. Common in the coastal zone from North Carolina to Brazil, it occurs as far south as Rio de Janeiro, and occasionally as far north as the Gulf of Maine. Nonetheless, a preference for water temperatures in the range of 68 to 85 °F (20 to 29 °C). may limit distribution.

King mackerel commonly occur in depths of 40 to 150 feet (12–45 m), where the principal fisheries occur. Larger kings (heavier than 20 lb or 9 kg) often occur inshore, in the mouths of inlets and harbors, and occasionally even at the 600 foot (180 m) depths at the edge of the Gulf Stream.

The blue mackerel, Japanese mackerel, Pacific mackerel, slimy mackerel, or spotted chub mackerel, Scomber australasicus, a fish of the genus Scomber, is found in tropical and subtropical waters of the Pacific ocean, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Oman and the Gulf of Aden, in surface waters down to 200 m (656 ft). Its length is between 30 and 55 cm (12 and 20 in), and weight over a kg (2.2 lbs).

The blue mackerel has a slim streamlined body with a pointed snout and large eyes, and is one of the smallest members of the tuna/mackerel family. The first dorsal fin is triangular, the second much lower followed by serrated finlets to the deeply forked tail. There are lateral thickening keels on each side of the caudal peduncle and the body is fully scaled. There is a single row of sharp teeth in each jaw, the ones in the lower being larger.

The blue-black back has narrow oblique lines which zigzag and undulate, and the belly is pearly white and marked with thin, wavy broken lines.

There is a swim bladder present. The blue mackerel feeds upon copepods and other crustaceans, squid, and small fish.

Importance

Mackerel fillet in tomato sauce, a popular food in Scandinavia and the UK.

Atlantic mackerel are sought after for food either cooked or as sashimi.

mportant commercially

Mackerel are prized (and are highly harvested for their meat, which is often very oily, are known for their fighting ability, and are an important recreational and commercial fishery. The meat can spoil quickly, especially in the tropics, causing scombroid food poisoning - it must be eaten on the day of capture, unless cured. For this reason, mackerel is the only fish traditionally sold on a Sunday in London, and is the only common salt-cured sushi.This fish is highly valued by fisheries.

It consists mostly of red meat and has a strong taste desirable to some consumers. Atlantic mackerel is extremely high in vitamin B₁₂.  Atlantic mackerel is also very high in omega 3, containing nearly twice as much per unit weight as does salmon.  Unlike King mackerel and Spanish mackerel, Northern Atlantic mackerel are very low in mercury, and can be eaten at least twice a week according to EPA guidelines.

Although Atlantic mackerel have been somewhat depleted in the waters around Europe, the Atlantic mackerel population apparently persists at abundant levels in U.S. waters despite being overfished in the 1970s.

Mainly in Scandinavia, canned mackerel in tomato sauce is commonly used as sandwich filling.

Macherel, like the tunas, are important in food chains, consuming fish, plankton, and mollusks, and being consumed by sharks, rays, billfishes, larger tunas, and toothed whales. They are also important to human beings for food and for sport fishing. Tuna meat is very popular both canned and raw (as sashimi and with rice as sushi).

As of 2005, king mackerel are primarily marketed fresh. They may be sold as fillets, steaks, or in the round (whole). Their raw flesh is grayish, due to its high fat content, They are best prepared by broiling, frying, baking or, especially for large "smoker" king, by smoking. According to the EPA, king mackerel is one of the four fish children and women of child-bearing age should avoid due to high levels of methylmercury found in these fish.

Species whose common name includes "mackerel"

Family Scombridae

Atlantic mackerel Scomber scombrus
Atlantic Spanish mackerel Scomberomorus maculatus
Blue mackerel Scomber australasicus
Broadbarred king mackerel Scomberomorus semifasciatus
Chub mackerel Scomber japonicus
Australian spotted mackerel Scomberomorus munroi
Double-lined mackerel Grammatorcynus bilineatus
Happened mackerel Happundreus maculatus
Indian mackerel Rastrelliger kanagurta
Indo-Pacific king mackerel Scomberomorus guttatus
Island mackerel Rastrelliger faughni
Japanese Spanish mackerel Scomberomorus niphonius
King mackerel Scomberomorus cavalla
Spanish mackerel Scomberomorus macula
Streaked Spanish mackerel Scomberomorus lineolatus
Spotted Spanish mackerel Scomberomorus guttus

Family Carangidae

Carangidae is a family of fish which includes the jacks, pompanos, jack mackerels, and scads.

The family contains many important commercial and game fish, notably the Pacific jack mackerel, Trachurus symmetricus, and the other jack mackerels in the genus Trachurus. Jack mackerels are marine fishes in the Trachurus genus of the Carangidae family. The type species of the genus is the Atlantic horse mackerel, Trachurus trachurus. The name of the genus is derived from the Greek word trachys, meaning "rough", and the Greek word oura, meaning "tail".

Atlantic horse mackerel Trachurus trachurus
Blue jack mackerel Trachurus picturatus
Cape horse mackerel Trachurus capensis
Cunene horse mackerel Trachurus trecae
Greenback horse mackerel Trachurus declivis
Japanese horse mackerel Trachurus japonicus
Mediterranean horse mackerel Trachurus mediterraneus
Jack mackerel Trachurus symmetricus

Family Hexagrammidae

Okhostk Atka mackerel Pleurogrammus azonus
Atka mackerel Pleurogrammus monopterygius

Family Gempylidae

Black snake mackerel Nealotus tripes
Blacksail snake mackerel Thyrsitoides marleyi
Snake mackerel Gempylus serpens
Violet snake mackerel Nesiarchus nasutus
White snake mackerel Thyrsitops lepidopoides

Use as an adjective

"Mackerel" is also used as an adjective in the vernacular names of other animals or breeds thereof, often used to indicate types with a mackerel-like pattern of vertical stripes:

Mackerel icefish - Champsocephalus gunnari
Mackerel pike - Cololabis saira
Mackerel scad - Decapterus macarellus
Mackerel shark - several species
Sharp-nose mackerel shark - Isurus oxyrinchus
Mackerel trevalla - Seriolella punctata
Mackerel tuna - Euthynnus affinis
Mackerel tabby cat - Felis silvestris catus
Mackerel Tail Goldfish - Carassius auratus

Other mackerel

A mackerel sky is a formation of altocumulus clouds. This cloud formation usually means that there is a large amount of moisture and precipitation headed in the direction of the clouds.

Predator

Shearwater, tuna, dolphins, whales, orca, seagulls, marlins, sharks, and humans may hunt mackerel.

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

Scomber scombrus (TSN 172414). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 18 April 2006.
Template:FishBase species

Nelson, J. S. 1994. Fishes of the World, 3rd ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0471547131

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