Mackerel - Atlantic

Dispatch Method:

The eating qualities of these fish can be greatly improved if they are killed immediately by iki jime or a firm knock to the head before placing them in an ice slurry after bleeding.

Fish Description:

• An attractive fish with a streamlined, elongate body that is iridescent blue to green in colour, with distinct wavy black bars on the dorsal surface, a silvery-white underside and deeply forked tail.
  
• Lacking a swimbladder, Atlantic mackerel must keep swimming to survive.
  
• This species is a small but voracious predator, feeding mainly on zooplankton and small fish. They are a key baitfish species in the north Atlantic ecosystem, which in turn are eaten by a wide variety of large predatory fishes.
  
• Atlantic mackerel mature at 2-3 years of age between 25 and 35 cm long, with a maximum age of around 18 years.

Fish Distribution:

• These fish occur throughout the North Atlantic, including the Mediterranean, North and Black seas.
  
• They can be abundant in cold and temperate shelf areas, forming large schools near the surface. They move closer to shore in spring when water temperatures range between 11° and 14°C, and spend the warmer summer months foraging close to shore, departing with the arrival of colder weather in the fall and winter months.

Fish Size Common Length:

25-35 cm (10-14 inches), maximum size around 60 cm (24 inches) and 3.4 kg (8 lb).