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Mackerel: King and Spanish
U.S. Atlantic - South, U.S. Gulf of Mexico
Hook-and-Line, Gill nets
See
Report in PDF |
 Credit/ Wikimedia Commons - Public domain
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| SPECIES |
Mackerel: King and Spanish |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME |
Scomberomorus maculatus; S. cavalla |
| MARKET NAMES |
Cavalla, King, Kingfish, Smoker, Slab, Hog |
| SUSHI NAMES |
Sawara (Spanish Mackerel), Aji (Horse Mackerel), Saba (Atlantic Mackerel) |
| DESCRIPTION |
Spanish and king mackerel are open ocean schooling fishes ranging from the Gulf of Maine to Brazil. Both of these mackerel species migrate seasonally along the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts, moving north in the spring and south in the fall.
Mackerel are a SeaChoice “Best Choice” option as they are resilient to fishing pressure, have healthy stocks, and are well managed. Gear types vary by species and location but generally all have moderate bycatch concerns and low impact to seafloor habitats and broader marine ecosystems.
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Sustainability
Profile
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| Concern |
Low |
Moderate |
High |
Critical |
| Inherent vulnerability |
x |
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| Status of stocks |
x |
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| Nature of by-catch |
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x |
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| Habitat effects |
x |
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| Management effectiveness |
x |
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| INHERENT VULNERABILITY |
Spanish and king mackerel are highly fecund (lots of eggs), and both species reach sexual maturity in under five years. Both species have a limited range, being found only in the western Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. There is no evidence of high population variability driven by environmental change.
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| STATUS OF STOCKS |
Spanish and king mackerel are not overfished. These stocks are considered healthy due to their increasing or stable trends in abundance, and there is no evidence that population structures are skewed. In the Gulf of Mexico however, the king mackerel stock is considered weak as it has just recently recovered from an overfished condition and consequently the stock has not rebuilt.
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| NATURE OF BY-CATCH |
Trends in bycatch quantity and composition have not been documented. At present, there is no evidence suggesting that the fishery is having broad ecosystem impacts.
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| HABITAT EFFECTS |
Both gillnets and hook-and-line gear result in minimal damage to habitat. There is no evidence suggesting that the removal of the target species has or will likely substantially disrupt the food web.
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| MANAGEMENT EFFECTIVENESS |
Management regularly collects both fishery independent and dependent data, has made efforts to reduce bycatch, and enforces fishery regulations. Management has however, set the total allowable catch higher than recommended three times over the last 17 years.
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| IMPORTANT QUESTION TO ASK |
What kind of fish is this?
Where was it caught?
US Atlantic Mackerel is ranked “Some Concerns”.
Canadian Atlantic Mackerel is ranked “Best Choice”.
King and Spanish Mackerel from the US Gulf of Mexico & US South Atlantic are also ranked “Best Choice”.
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HEALTH RISKS
View consumption advisories |
Consumption advisory due to mercury. + Men should limit intake to less than 1/2 a meal per month + Women and kids under 12 should not eat at all
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MSC CERTIFIED
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No.
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