Atlantic mackerel are sensitive to changes in water temperature and migrate long distances on a seasonal basis to feed and spawn. NOAA Fisheries scientists have found that changing environmental factors have altered the distribution of Atlantic mackerel, shifting the stock northeastward and into shallower waters. These findings could have significant implications for U.S. commercial and recreational mackerel fisheries, which mostly occur during late winter and early spring.
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LAUNCH THE MAPAtlantic Mackerel
Scomber scombrus
ALSO KNOWN AS:
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Mackerel, Common Mackerel, Boston Mackerel, Caballa
SOURCE:
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U.S. wild-caught from Maine to North Carolina
STATUS
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POPULATION
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FISHING RATE
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HABITAT IMPACTS
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BYCATCH
Click the icons to learn more about each criteria
OVERVIEW
Fishermen have been harvesting Atlantic mackerel in the Northeast since colonial times. In fact, colonists of the 1600s considered mackerel one of their most important commodities. Foreign fleets heavily fished Atlantic mackerel off the United States in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Overfishing eventually depleted the Atlantic mackerel stock, and it collapsed in the 1970s. After Congress passed the Magnuson-Stevens Act in 1976, managers gradually phased out foreign fishing in U.S. waters. They also implemented annual catch quotas for the U.S. fishery to limit harvests and rebuild the Atlantic mackerel stock.
U.S. market demand for mackerel is low. Americans do not typically eat Atlantic mackerel due to its strong, rich flavor, but the fish is popular overseas. Some of the U.S. harvest is sold fresh in domestic markets, but most is frozen and exported to markets around the world.
Looking Ahead
LOCATION & HABITAT
Atlantic mackerel are found on both sides of the North Atlantic Ocean, including the Baltic Sea. In the western Atlantic, they’re found from Labrador to North Carolina. Atlantic mackerel are common in cold and temperate waters over the continental shelf. They swim in schools near the surface, and travel to and from spawning and summering grounds.
BIOLOGY
Atlantic mackerel grow fast, up to 16-1/2 inches and 2.2 pounds. They can live up to 20 years and are able to reproduce by the time they reach age 2 to 3. There are two major spawning groups of Atlantic mackerel in the western Atlantic: a southern group spawns primarily in the Mid-Atlantic Bight from April to May, and a northern group spawns in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in June and July. Both groups typically spawn within 10 to 30 miles of shore. Depending on their size, females can have between 285,000 and almost 2 million eggs. They release their eggs in batches, between 5 and 7 times throughout the spawning season. Eggs generally float in the surface water and hatch in 4 to 7-1/2 days, depending on water temperature.
Atlantic mackerel feed heavily on crustaceans such as copepods, krill, and shrimp. They also eat squid, and some fish and ascidians. Several species of fish and marine mammals eat Atlantic mackerel.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
Atlantic mackerel are iridescent blue green on the back with a silvery white underbelly. About 20 to 30 wavy black bars run across the top half of their body, and a narrow dark streak runs below these bars along each side. Their body is spindle-shaped, tapering at both ends. Their two large dorsal fins are gray or dusky. The pectoral fins are black or dusky at the base, and the tail fin is gray or dusky. Their distinctive coloring fades quickly after they die.
OVERVIEW
Scientists at NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center collect information on Atlantic mackerel through their bottom trawl surveys. They research the abundance, biology, and distribution of the Atlantic mackerel and other marine resources in the Northwest Atlantic. They use this information to assess the status of the Atlantic mackerel stock and provide recommendations to managers.
POPULATION STATUS
Results of the most recent mackerel stock assessment were uncertain, but indicated reduced productivity in the stock and a lack of older fish.
ADDITIONAL RESEARCH
Atlantic mackerel are sensitive to changes in water temperature and migrate long distances on a seasonal basis to feed and spawn. NOAA Fisheries scientists have found that changing environmental factors have altered the distribution of Atlantic mackerel, shifting the stock northeastward and into shallower waters. These findings could have significant implications for U.S. commercial and recreational mackerel fisheries, which mostly occur during late winter and early spring.
Harvesting Atlantic Mackerel
The U.S. commercial fishery for Atlantic mackerel operates primarily between January and May in southern New England and Mid-Atlantic coastal waters, and between May and December in the Gulf of Maine. Fishermen harvest mackerel in large volumes using mid-water trawls. While mid-water trawls have minimal impact on habitat, they can incidentally catch marine mammals such as short- and long-finned pilot whales, Atlantic white-sided dolphins, and common dolphins. Measures to reduce potential impacts of bycatch include outreach to educate fisherman about actions to take in the event of a marine mammal interaction, and efforts to communicate interaction hotspots to fishermen in real time.
Management
Who’s in charge? NOAA Fisheries and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council.
Current management: Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan.
- Mackerel is managed in federal waters. There are no state management measures for mackerel.
- Annual catch limit, allocated between the commercial and recreational fisheries; managers monitor catch on a weekly basis and will close the fisheries if the limits are reached before the fishing season is over.
- Fishermen must have a permit to harvest Atlantic mackerel; managers limit the amount of available permits to control harvests. Under a new limited access program, permits are issued to qualifying fishermen, dividing fishermen into three tiers based on their past participation in the fishery. This program is designed to reduce the fishing capacity of the mackerel fleet while allowing qualified vessels to continue fishing for mackerel at their historical or recent level of participation.
Canadian fishermen also harvest Atlantic mackerel from the western Atlantic stock, mainly
off Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and in the Gulf of St Lawrence between May and November.
The Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans 
manage these fisheries.
Annual Harvest
U.S. landings increased from 5,646 metric tons in 2000 to 56,637 metric tons in 2006; Canadian landings increased from 13,383 metric tons in 2000 to 54,270 metric tons in 2005. In 2010, estimated U.S. and Canadian landings declined to 10,669 metric tons and 35,093 metric tons, respectively. Massachusetts and New Jersey harvested the majority of U.S. landings, with over 5,500 and 2,200 metric tons, respectively.
Economy
The 2010 Atlantic mackerel harvest was valued at nearly $3.1 million. Atlantic mackerel is not a favorite of American consumers due to its strong, rich flavor and is more popular in other countries. Some of the U.S. harvest is sold fresh in domestic markets, but most is frozen and exported to markets throughout the world.
Recreational
Mackerel are important to recreational fisheries in the Mid-Atlantic and New England regions, with the highest landings occurring from Massachusetts to Maine. Recreational landings estimates are uncertain, but over the past decade landings ranged from 530 metric tons to an estimated high of more than 1,600 metric tons. Recreational landings in 2010 were estimated at 778 metric tons. The recreational mackerel fishery is open all year, with a catch limit set annually at the same time as commercial limits.
OVERVIEW
Mackerel has a rich, pronounced flavor. For a milder flavor, cut out the outer bands of dark meat along the midline. When raw, the meat looks grayish and oily; when cooked, it is off-white to beige in color and soft, flaky, and moist in texture. Mackerel is considered one of the more healthful fish because it’s rich in omega-3 fatty acids. (Seafood Business, 2011)
SEASONAL AVAILABILITY
Year-round.
NUTRITION
Mackerel is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and is an excellent source of selenium, niacin, and vitamins B6 and B12.
| Servings | 1 |
| Serving Weight | 100 g (raw) |
| Calories | 205 |
| Protein | 18.6g |
| Fat, total | 13.89 g |
| Saturated fatty acids, total | 3.257 g |
| Carbohydrate | 0 g |
| Sugars, total | 0 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 0 g |
| Cholesterol | 70 mg |
| Selenium | 44.1 mcg |
| Sodium | 90 mg |
Atlantic Mackerel Table of Nutrition
