View source for Mackerel

{{short description|Pelagic fish}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{about|the species of fish|its use as food|Mackerel as food}}
{{Other uses}}
{{multiple image
| align             = right
| caption_align     = center
| direction         = vertical
| width             = 300
| header            = Mackerel
| header_align      = <!-- left/right/center -->
| header_background = 
| footer            = 
| footer_align      = <!-- left/right/center -->
| footer_background = 
| background color  = 
| image1            = Trachurus declivis.jpg
| alt1              = 
| caption1          = Some species of mackerel [[Fish migration|migrate]] in [[Shoaling and schooling|schools]] for long distances along the coast and other species cross oceans
| image2            = Global capture of all mackerel 1950–2009.png
| alt2              = 
| caption2          = Global commercial capture of mackerel in millions of tonnes reported by the [[FAO]] 1950–2009<ref name="FAOdata">Based on data sourced from the relevant [http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/search/en FAO Species Fact Sheets]</ref>
}}
{{common fish}}

'''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 [[Iridescence|iridescent]] green-blue quality.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/marine/fish-sharks-skates-and-rays/mackerel| title=Mackerel. Scientific name: Scomber scombrus| website=[[The Wildlife Trusts]]| access-date=2022-08-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.msc.org/uk/media-centre/blog/news/2019/04/10/mackerel-to-fish-or-not-to-fish| title=Mackerel: to fish or not to fish?| website=[[Marine Stewardship Council]]| access-date=2022-08-02}}</ref> Many are restricted in their distribution ranges and live in separate populations or [[Fish stocks|fish stock]]s based on geography. Some stocks [[Fish migration|migrate]] in large [[Shoaling and schooling|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]].<ref>{{cite journal|last=Daan|first=N.|title=A quantitative analysis of the food intake of North Sea cod, Gadus Morhua|journal=[[Netherlands Journal of Sea Research]]|publisher=[[Elsevier B.V.]]|date=December 1973|volume=6|issue=4|pages=479–517|doi=10.1016/0077-7579(73)90002-1|bibcode=1973NJSR....6..479D}}</ref> Flocks of seabirds, [[Whale|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 fatty acid|omega-3 oils]] and is intensively harvested by humans. In 2009, over 5 million tons were landed by commercial fishermen.<ref name="FAOdata"/> Sport fishermen value the fighting abilities of the [[king mackerel]].<ref>{{cite book | year = 2008 | title = King mackerel | edition = 11th | work = Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary | publisher = Merriam Webster | isbn = 978-0-87779-809-5 | page = 688 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=TAnheeIPcAEC&pg=PA688 }}</ref>

==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 (biology)|spawn]] enthusiastically in [[Shoal|shoals]] near the coast, and medieval ideas on animal procreation were creative.<ref>{{cite dictionary | title = Mackerel | url = https://www.etymonline.com/word/mackerel | dictionary = Online Etymology Dictionary | access-date = 2012-03-03 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181222125413/https://www.etymonline.com/word/mackerel | archive-date = 2018-12-22 | url-status = live}}</ref>

===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.<ref name=IUCNscombrus /> Mackerel are smaller with shorter lifecycles than their close relatives, the [[tuna]], which are also members of the same family.<ref name="Juan-Jorda2011">{{cite journal | last1 = Juan-Jorda | first1 = MJ | last2 = Mosqueira | first2 = I | last3 = Cooper | first3 = AB | last4 = Freire | first4 = J | last5 = Dulvy | first5 = NK | year = 2011 | title = Global population trajectories of tunas and their relatives | journal = Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences | volume = 108 | issue = 51| pages = 20650–20655 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.1107743108 | pmid = 22143785 | pmc = 3251139 | bibcode = 2011PNAS..10820650J | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = Tuna and mackerel populations have reduced by 60% in the last century | date = 2012-02-08 | url = https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208103226.htm | work = ScienceDaily | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170707065234/https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208103226.htm | archive-date = 2017-07-07 | url-status = live}}</ref>
 
====Scombrini, the true mackerels====
{{anchor|True mackerels|True mackerel|true mackerel|true mackerels}}

The true mackerels belong to the [[tribe (biology)|tribe]] [[Scombrini]].<ref name="ITIS_Scombrini">{{ITIS|taxon=Scombrini|id=638253|access-date=10 December 2012}}</ref> The tribe consists of seven species, each belonging to one of two [[genera]]: ''[[Scomber]]'' or ''[[Rastrelliger]]''.<ref name="ITIS_Scomber">{{ITIS|taxon=''Scomber''|id=172411|access-date=10 December 2012}}</ref><ref name="ITIS_Rastrelliger">{{ITIS|taxon=''Rastrelliger''|id=172461|access-date=10 December 2012}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible"
|-
! colspan="10"| True Mackerels (tribe [[Scombrini]])
|-
! Common name
! Scientific name
! Maximum<br/>length
! Common<br/>length
! Maximum<br/>weight
! Maximum<br/>age
! [[Trophic level|Trophic<br/>level]]
! [[FishBase]]
! [[FAO]]
! [[IUCN|IUCN status]]
|-
| [[Short mackerel]] 
| ''Rastrelliger brachysoma''<br /><small>(Bleeker, 1851)</small>
| align="right" |  {{cvt|34.5|cm}}
| align="right" |  {{cvt|20|cm}}
| align="right" |
| align="right" |
| align="center" | 2.72
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Rastrelliger | species = brachysoma | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" |<ref>{{cite web | title = Species Fact Sheet: ''Rastrelliger brachysoma'' (Bleeker, 1851) | url = http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/2477/en | publisher = [[FAO]] | access-date = 2 March 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181018194549/http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/2477/en | archive-date = 2018-10-18 | url-status = live}}</ref>
| [[File:VU IUCN 3 1.svg|VU IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Vulnerable</small><ref>{{Cite iucn|title="Rastrelliger brachysoma"|article-number=e.T170318A170085723|last=Collette, B.|year=2022|volume=2023|access-date=7 May 2025|last2=Pollard, D.A}}</ref>
|-
| [[Island mackerel]]
| ''R. faughni''<br /><small>(Matsui, 1967)</small>
| align="right" |  {{cvt|20|cm}}
| align="right" |
| align="right" |  {{cvt|0.75|kg}}
| align="right" |
| align="center" | 3.4
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Rastrelliger | species = faughni | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" | 
| [[File:VU IUCN 3 1.svg|VU IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Vulnerable</small><ref>{{Cite IUCN|title="Rastrelliger faughni"|article-number=e.T170324A170086625|last=Collette, B.|year=2023|access-date=7 May 2025|last2=Pollard, D.A.}}</ref>
|-
| [[Indian mackerel]]
| ''R. kanagurta''<br /><small>(Cuvier, 1816)</small>
| align="right" |  {{cvt|35|cm}}
| align="right" |  {{cvt|25|cm}}
| align="right" |
| align="right" |  4 years
| align="center" | 3.19
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Rastrelliger | species = kanagurta | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" |<ref>{{cite web | title = Species Fact Sheet: ''Rastrelliger kanagurta'' (Cuvier, 1817) | url = http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/2478/en | publisher = [[FAO]] | access-date = 2012-03-02 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180806051043/http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/2478/en | archive-date = 2018-08-06 | url-status = live}}</ref>
| [[File:LC IUCN 3 1.svg|LC IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Least concern</small><ref>{{Cite iucn|title="Rastrelliger kanagurta"|article-number=e.T170328A46648232|last=Collette, B.|year=2023|access-date=7 May 2025|last2=Pollard, D.A.}}</ref>
|-
| [[Blue mackerel]]
| ''Scomber australasicus''<br /><small>(Cuvier, 1832)</small>
| align="right" |  {{cvt|44|cm}}
| align="right" |  {{cvt|30|cm}}
| align="right" |  {{cvt|1.36|kg}}
| align="right" |
| align="center" | 4.2
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Scomber | species = australasicus | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" | 
| [[File:LC IUCN 3 1.svg|LC IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Least concern</small><ref name=IUCNaustralasicus>{{cite iucn |author=Collette, B. |author2=Acero, A. |author3=Canales Ramirez, C. |author4=Cardenas, G. |author5=Carpenter, K.E. |author6=Chang, S.-K. |author7=Chiang, W. |author8=Di Natale, A. |author9=Fox, W. |author10=Guzman-Mora, A. |author11=Juan Jorda, M. |author12=Miyabe, N. |author13=Montano Cruz, R. |author14=Nelson, R. |author15=Salas, E. |author16=Schaefer, K. |author17=Serra, R. |author18=Sun, C. |author19=Uozumi, Y. |author20=Wang, S. |author21=Wu, J. |author22=Yanez, E. |author23=Yeh, S. |date=2011 |title=''Scomber australasicus'' |volume=2011 |article-number=e.T170329A6750490 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T170329A6750490.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[Atlantic chub mackerel]]
| ''S. colias''<br /><small>(Gmelin, 1789)</small>
| align="right" |{{cvt|65|cm}}
| align="right" |
| align="right" |{{cvt|2.9|kg}}
| align="right" |20 years
| align="center" | 3.91
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Scomber | species = colias | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Maximum size of Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) and Atlantic chub mackerel (Scomber colias) in the Northeast Atlantic {{!}} French Ichthyological Society - Cybium |url=https://sfi-cybium.fr/en/node/76#:~:text=The%20most%20recent%20(2000-2005,these%20species%20in%20this%20area. |access-date=2025-04-06 |website=sfi-cybium.fr}}</ref>
| align="center" | 
| [[File:LC IUCN 3 1.svg|LC IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Least concern</small><ref name=IUCNcolias>{{cite iucn |author=Collette, B. |author2=Amorim, A.F. |author3=Boustany, A. |author4=Carpenter, K.E. |author5=de Oliveira Leite Jr. |author6=N. |author7=Di Natale, A. |author8=Fox, W. |author9=Fredou, F.L. |author10=Graves, J. |author11=Viera Hazin, F.H. |author12=Juan Jorda, M. |author13=Kada, O. |author14=Minte Vera, C. |author15=Miyabe, N. |author16=Nelson, R. |author17=Oxenford, H. |author18=Teixeira Lessa, R.P. |author19=Pires Ferreira Travassos, P.E. |date=2011 |title=''Scomber colias'' |volume=2011 |article-number=e.T170357A6767497 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T170357A6767497.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[Chub mackerel]]
| ''S. japonicus''<br /><small>(Houttuyn, 1782)</small>
| align="right" |  {{cvt|64|cm}}
| align="right" |  {{cvt|30|cm}}
| align="right" |  {{cvt|2.9|kg}}
| align="right" |  18 years
| align="center" | 3.09
| align="center" |<ref name=FishBasejaponicus>{{FishBase | genus = Scomber | species = japonicus | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" |<ref name=FAOjaponicus>{{cite web | title = Species Fact Sheet: ''Scomber japonicus'' (Houttuyn, 1782) | url = http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/3277/en | publisher = [[FAO]] | access-date = 2012-03-02 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181221172602/http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/3277/en | archive-date = 2018-12-21 | url-status = live}}</ref>
| [[File:LC IUCN 3 1.svg|LC IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Least concern</small><ref name=IUCNSjaponicus>{{cite iucn |author=Collette, B. |author2=Acero, A. |author3=Canales Ramirez, C. |author4=Cardenas, G. |author5=Carpenter, K.E. |author6=Chang, S.-K. |author7=Di Natale, A. |author8=Fox, W. |author9=Guzman-Mora, A. |author10=Juan Jorda, M. |author11=Miyabe, N. |author12=Montano Cruz, R. |author13=Nelson, R. |author14=Salas, E. |author15=Schaefer, K. |author16=Serra, R. |author17=Sun, C. |author18=Uozumi, Y. |author19=Wang, S. |author20=Wu, J. |author21=Yeh, S. |date=2011 |title=''Scomber japonicus'' |volume=2011 |article-number=e.T170306A6737373 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T170306A6737373.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[Atlantic mackerel]]
| ''S. scombrus''<br /><small>(Linnaeus, 1758)</small>
| align="right" |  {{cvt|66|cm}}
| align="right" |  {{cvt|30|cm}}
| align="right" |  {{cvt|3.4|kg}}
| align="right" |  12 years west<br />18 years east
| align="center" | 3.65
| align="center" |<ref name=FishBasescombrus>{{FishBase | genus = Scomber | species = scombrus | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" |<ref name=FAOscombrus>{{cite web | title = Species Fact Sheet: ''Scomber scombrus'' (Linnaeus, 1758) | url = http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/2473/en | publisher = [[FAO]] | access-date = 2012-03-02 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190502001326/http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/2473/en | archive-date = 2019-05-02 | url-status = live }}</ref>
| [[File:LC IUCN 3 1.svg|LC IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Least concern</small><ref name=IUCNscombrus>{{cite iucn |author=Collette, B. |author2=Boustany, A. |author3=Carpenter, K.E. |author4=Di Natale, A. |author5=Fox, W. |author6=Graves, J. |author7=Juan Jorda, M. |author8=Kada, O. |author9=Nelson, R. |author10=Oxenford, H. |date=2011 |title=''Scomber scombrus'' |volume=2011 |article-number=e.T170354A6764313 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T170354A6764313.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref>
|}

{{anchor|Spanish mackerels|Spanish mackerel}}

====Scomberomorini, the Spanish mackerels====
The [[Spanish mackerel]]s belong to the tribe [[Scomberomorini]], which is the "cousin tribe" of the true mackerels.<ref name="ITIS_Scomberomorini">{{ITIS|taxon=Scomberomorini|id=638251|access-date=10 December 2012}}</ref> This tribe consists of 21 species in all—18 of those are classified into the genus ''[[Scomberomorus]]'',<ref name="ITIS_Scomberomorus">{{ITIS|taxon=''Scomberomorus''|id=172434|access-date=10 December 2012}}</ref> two into ''[[Grammatorcynus]]'',<ref name="ITIS_Grammatorcynus">{{ITIS|taxon=''Grammatorcynus''|id=172471|access-date=10 December 2012}}</ref> and a single species into the [[monotypic]] genus ''[[Acanthocybium]]''.<ref name="ITIS_Acanthocybium">{{ITIS|taxon=''Acanthocybium''|id=172450|access-date=10 December 2012}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible"
|-
! colspan="10"| Spanish Mackerels (tribe [[Scomberomorini]])
|-
! Common name
! Scientific name
! Maximum<br/>length
! Common<br/>length
! Maximum<br/>weight
! Maximum<br/>age
! [[Trophic level|Trophic<br/>level]]
! [[FishBase]]
! [[FAO]]
! [[IUCN|IUCN status]]
|-
| [[Wahoo]]
| ''Acanthocybium solandri''<br /><small>([[Georges Cuvier|Cuvier]] in Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1832)</small>
| align="right" |  {{cvt|250|cm}}
| align="right" |  {{cvt|170|cm}}
| align="right" |  {{cvt|83|kg}}
| align="right" |  9 years
| align="center" | 4.4
| align="center" |<ref name=":1">{{FishBase | genus = Acanthocybium | species = solandri | month = December | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" |
| [[File:LC IUCN 3 1.svg|LC IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Least concern</small><ref name=IUCNwahoo>{{cite iucn |author=Collette, B. |author2=Acero, A. |author3=Amorim, A.F. |author4=Boustany, A. |author5=Canales Ramirez, C. |author6=Cardenas, G. |author7=Carpenter, K.E. |author8=de Oliveira Leite Jr. |author9=N. |author10=Di Natale, A. |author11=Die, D. |author12=Fox, W. |author13=Fredou, F.L. |author14=Graves, J. |author15=Guzman-Mora, A. |author16=Viera Hazin, F.H. |author17=Hinton, M. |author18=Juan Jorda, M. |author19=Kada, O. |author20=Minte Vera, C. |author21=Miyabe, N. |author22=Montano Cruz, R. |author23=Nelson, R. |author24=Oxenford, H. |author25=Restrepo, V. |author26=Salas, E. |author27=Schaefer, K. |author28=Schratwieser, J. |author29=Serra, R. |author30=Sun, C. |author31=Teixeira Lessa, R.P. |author32=Pires Ferreira Travassos, P.E. |author33=Uozumi, Y. |author34=Yanez, E. |date=2011 |title=''Acanthocybium solandri'' |volume=2011 |article-number=e.T170331A6750961 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T170331A6750961.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[Shark mackerel]] 
| ''Grammatorcynus bicarinatus''<br /><small>(Quoy & Gaimard, 1825)</small>
| align="right" | {{cvt|112|cm}}
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | {{cvt|13.5|kg}}
| align="right" | 
| align="center" | 4.5
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Grammatorcynus | species = bicarinatus | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" | 
| [[File:LC IUCN 3 1.svg|LC IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Least concern</small><ref name=IUCNbicarinatus>{{cite iucn |author=Collette, B. |author2=Fox, W. |author3=Nelson, R. |date=2011 |title=''Grammatorcynus bicarinatus'' |volume=2011 |article-number=e.T170308A6738658 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T170308A6738658.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[Double-lined mackerel]]
| ''G. bilineatus''<br /><small>(Rüppell, 1836)</small>
| align="right" |  {{cvt|100|cm}}
| align="right" |  {{cvt|50|cm}}
| align="right" |  {{cvt|3.5|kg}}
| align="right" |  
| align="center" | 4.18
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Grammatorcynus | species = bilineatus | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" |
| [[File:LC IUCN 3 1.svg|LC IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Least concern</small><ref name=IUCNbilineatus>{{cite iucn |author=Collette, B. |author2=Chiang, W. |author3=Di Natale, A. |author4=Fox, W. |author5=Juan Jorda, M. |author6=Nelson, R. |date=2011 |title=''Grammatorcynus bilineatus'' |volume=2011 |article-number=e.T170358A6768577 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T170358A6768577.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[Serra Spanish mackerel]]
| ''Scomberomorus brasiliensis''<br /><small>(Collette, Russo & Zavala-Camin, 1978)</small>
| align="right" | {{cvt|125|cm}}
| align="right" | {{cvt|65|cm}}
| align="right" | {{cvt|6.7|kg}}
| align="right" | 
| align="center" | 3.31
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Scomberomorus | species = brasiliensis | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" | 
| [[File:LC IUCN 3 1.svg|LC IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Least concern</small><ref name=IUCNbrasiliensis>{{cite iucn |author=Collette, B. |author2=Amorim, A.F. |author3=Boustany, A. |author4=Carpenter, K.E. |author5=de Oliveira Leite Jr. |author6=N. |author7=Di Natale, A. |author8=Fox, W. |author9=Fredou, F.L. |author10=Graves, J. |author11=Viera Hazin, F.H. |author12=Juan Jorda, M. |author13=Minte Vera, C. |author14=Miyabe, N. |author15=Nelson, R. |author16=Oxenford, H. |author17=Teixeira Lessa, R.P. |author18=Pires Ferreira Travassos, P.E. |date=2011 |title=''Scomberomorus brasiliensis'' |volume=2011 |article-number=e.T170335A6753567 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T170335A6753567.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[King mackerel]]
| ''S. cavalla''<br /><small>(Cuvier, 1829)</small>
| align="right" |  {{cvt|184|cm}}
| align="right" |  {{cvt|70|cm}}
| align="right" |  {{cvt|45|kg}}
| align="right" |  14 years
| align="center" | 4.5
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Scomberomorus | species = cavalla | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" |<ref name=FAOcavalla>{{cite web | title = Species Fact Sheet: ''Scomberomorus cavalla'' (Cuvier, 1829) | url = http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/2483/en | publisher = [[FAO]] | access-date = 2012-03-02 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181015151018/http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/2483/en | archive-date = 2018-10-15 | url-status = live}}</ref>
| [[File:LC IUCN 3 1.svg|LC IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Least concern</small><ref name=IUCNcavalla>{{cite iucn |author=Collette, B. |author2=Amorim, A.F. |author3=Boustany, A. |author4=Carpenter, K.E. |author5=de Oliveira Leite Jr. |author6=N. |author7=Di Natale, A. |author8=Fox, W. |author9=Fredou, F.L. |author10=Graves, J. |author11=Viera Hazin, F.H. |author12=Juan Jorda, M. |author13=Minte Vera, C. |author14=Miyabe, N. |author15=Nelson, R. |author16=Oxenford, H. |author17=Teixeira Lessa, R.P. |author18=Pires Ferreira Travassos, P.E. |date=2011 |title=''Scomberomorus cavalla'' |volume=2011 |article-number=e.T170339A6755835 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T170339A6755835.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[Narrow-barred Spanish mackerel]]
| ''S. commerson''<br /><small>(Lacepède, 1800)</small>
| align="right" |  {{cvt|240|cm}}
| align="right" |  {{cvt|120|cm}}
| align="right" |  {{cvt|70|kg}}
| align="right" | 
| align="center" | 4.5
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Scomberomorus | species = commerson | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" |<ref>{{cite web | title = Species Fact Sheet: ''Scomberomorus commerson'' (Lacepède, 1800) | url = http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/3280/en | publisher = [[FAO]] | access-date = 2012-03-02 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181016014535/http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/3280/en | archive-date = 2018-10-16 | url-status = live }}</ref>
| [[File:NT IUCN 3 1.svg|NT IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Near threatened</small><ref name=IUCNcommerson>{{cite iucn |author=Collette, B. |author2=Chang, S.-K. |author3=Di Natale, A. |author4=Fox, W. |author5=Juan Jorda, M. |author6=Miyabe, N. |author7=Nelson, R. |date=2011 |title=''Scomberomorus commerson'' |volume=2011 |article-number=e.T170316A6745396 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T170316A6745396.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[Monterrey Spanish mackerel]]
| ''S. concolor''<br /><small>(Lockington, 1879)</small>
| align="right" | {{cvt|87|cm}}
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | {{cvt|3.6|kg}}
| align="right" | 
| align="center" | 4.24
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Scomberomorus | species = concolor | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Gulf Sierra {{!}} Mexican Fish.com |url=https://mexican-fish.com/gulf-sierra/ |access-date=2025-03-03 |language=en-US}}</ref>
| align="center" | 
| [[File:NT IUCN 3 1.svg|NT IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Near threatened</small><ref name="IUCNconcolor">{{Cite IUCN|title="Scomberomorus concolor"|article-number=e.T20047A170082489|last=Collette, B.|year=2024|access-date=7 May 2025|last2=Hastings, P.A.}}</ref>
|-
| [[Indo-Pacific king mackerel]]
| ''S. guttatus''<br /><small>(Bloch & Schneider, 1801)</small>
| align="right" |  {{cvt|81.5|cm}}
| align="right" |  {{cvt|55|cm}}
| align="right" |  {{cvt|4.5|kg}}
| align="right" |  16 years
| align="center" | 4.28
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Scomberomorus | species = guttatus | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" |<ref>{{cite web | title = Species Fact Sheet: ''Scomberomorus guttatus'' (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) | url = http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/3281/en | publisher = [[FAO]] | access-date = 2012-03-02 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181009102312/http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/3281/en | archive-date = 2018-10-09 | url-status = live }}</ref>
| [[File:DD IUCN 3 1.svg|DD IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Data deficient</small><ref name=IUCNguttatus>{{cite iucn |author=Collette, B. |author2=Di Natale, A. |author3=Fox, W. |author4=Juan Jorda, M. |author5=Nelson, R. |date=2011 |title=''Scomberomorus guttatus'' |volume=2011 |article-number=e.T170311A6742170 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T170311A6742170.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[Korean mackerel]]
| ''S. koreanus''<br /><small>(Kishinouye, 1915)</small>
| align="right" | {{cvt|150|cm}}
| align="right" | {{cvt|60|cm}}
| align="right" | {{cvt|15|kg}}
| align="right" | 
| align="center" | 4.2
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Scomberomorus | species = koreanus | month = December | year = 2012}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Big Macks: Eleven monster mackerel from the IGFA World Record vault – International Game Fish Association |url=https://igfa.org/2020/10/30/big-macks-eleven-monster-mackerel-igfa-world-records-from-around-the-globe/ |access-date=2025-02-28 |language=en-US}}</ref>
| align="center" | 
| [[File:LC IUCN 3 1.svg|LC IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Least concern</small><ref name=IUCNkoreanus>{{cite iucn |author=Collette, B. |author2=Di Natale, A. |author3=Fox, W. |author4=Juan Jorda, M. |author5=Nelson, R. |date=2011 |title=''Scomberomorus koreanus'' |volume=2011 |article-number=e.T170343A6757043 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T170343A6757043.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[Streaked Spanish mackerel]]
| ''S. lineolatus''<br /><small>(Cuvier, 1829)</small>
| align="right" |  {{cvt|80|cm}}
| align="right" |  {{cvt|70|cm}}
| align="right" |  {{cvt|4.1|kg}}
| align="right" |  
| align="center" | 4.5
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Scomberomorus | species = lineolatus | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" | 
| [[File:LC IUCN 3 1.svg|LC IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Least concern</small><ref name=IUCNlineolatus>{{cite iucn |author=Collette, B. |author2=Di Natale, A. |author3=Fox, W. |author4=Juan Jorda, M. |author5=Nelson, R. |date=2011 |title=''Scomberomorus lineolatus'' |volume=2011 |article-number=e.T170353A6764121 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T170353A6764121.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[Atlantic Spanish mackerel]]
| ''S. maculatus''<br /><small>(Mitchill, 1815)</small>
| align="right" |  {{cvt|91|cm}}
| align="right" |  
| align="right" |  {{cvt|5.89|kg}}
| align="right" |  5 years
| align="center" | 4.5
| align="center" |<ref name=FishBasemaculatus>{{FishBase | genus = Scomberomorus | species = maculatus | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" |<ref name=FAOmaculatus>{{cite web | title = Species Fact Sheet: ''Scomberomorus maculatus'' (Mitchill, 1815) | url = http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/3282/en | publisher = [[FAO]] | access-date = 2012-03-02 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180724053321/http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/3282/en | archive-date = 2018-07-24 | url-status = live}}</ref>
| [[File:LC IUCN 3 1.svg|LC IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Least concern</small><ref name=IUCNmaculatus>{{cite iucn |author=Collette, B. |author2=Boustany, A. |author3=Carpenter, K.E. |author4=Fox, W. |author5=Graves, J. |author6=Juan Jorda, M. |author7=Nelson, R. |author8=Oxenford, H. |date=2011 |title=''Scomberomorus maculatus'' |volume=2011 |article-number=e.T170323A6748550 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T170323A6748550.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[Papuan seerfish|Papuan Spanish mackerel]]
| ''S. multiradiatus''<br /><small>Munro, 1964</small>
| align="right" |  {{cvt|35|cm}}
| align="right" |  
| align="right" |  {{cvt|0.5|kg}}
| align="right" |  
| align="center" | 4.0
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Scomberomorus | species = multiradiatus | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" |
| [[File:LC IUCN 3 1.svg|LC IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Least concern</small><ref name=IUCNmultiradiatus>{{cite iucn |author=Collette, B. |author2=Carpenter, K.E. |author3=Di Natale, A. |author4=Fox, W. |author5=Juan Jorda, M. |author6=Nelson, R. |date=2011 |title=''Scomberomorus multiradiatus'' |volume=2011 |article-number=e.T170347A6760831 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T170347A6760831.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[Australian spotted mackerel]]
| ''S. munroi''<br /><small>(Collette & Russo, 1980)</small>
| align="right" |  {{cvt|104|cm}}
| align="right" |  
| align="right" |  {{cvt|10.2|kg}}
| align="right" |   
| align="center" | 4.3
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Scomberomorus | species = munroi | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" | 
| [[File:NT IUCN 3 1.svg|NT IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Near threatened</small><ref name=IUCNmunroi>{{cite iucn |author=Collette, B. |author2=Di Natale, A. |author3=Fox, W. |author4=Juan Jorda, M. |author5=Nelson, R. |date=2011 |title=''Scomberomorus munroi'' |volume=2011 |article-number=e.T170330A6750789 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T170330A6750789.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[Japanese Spanish mackerel]]
| ''S. niphonius''<br /><small>(Cuvier, 1832)</small>
| align="right" |  {{cvt|113|cm}}
| align="right" |  
| align="right" |  {{cvt|10.5|kg}}
| align="right" |  
| align="center" | 4.5
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Scomberomorus | species = niphonius | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref><ref name=":0" />
| align="center" |<ref>{{cite web | title = Species Fact Sheet: ''Scomberomorus niphonius'' (Cuvier, 1831) | url = http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/3285/en | publisher = [[FAO]] | access-date = 2012-03-02 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180112140508/http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/3285/en | archive-date = 2018-01-12 | url-status = live}}</ref>
| [[File:NT IUCN 3 1.svg|NT IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Near threatened</small><ref>{{Cite IUCN|title="Scomberomorus niphonius"|article-number=e.T170356A170090130|last=Collette, B.|year=2023|last2=Chang, S.-K}}</ref>
|-
| [[Queen mackerel]]
| ''S. plurilineatus''<br /><small>Fourmanoir, 1966</small>
| align="right" |  {{cvt|120|cm}}
| align="right" | 
| align="right" |  {{cvt|12.5|kg}}
| align="right" |  
| align="center" | 4.2
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Scomberomorus | species = plurilineatus | month = December | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" | 
| [[File:DD IUCN 3 1.svg|DD IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Data deficient</small><ref name=IUCNplurilineatus>{{cite iucn |author=Collette, B. |author2=Di Natale, A. |author3=Fox, W. |author4=Juan Jorda, M. |author5=Nelson, R. |date=2011 |title=''Scomberomorus plurilineatus'' |volume=2011 |article-number=e.T170348A6760962 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T170348A6760962.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[Queensland school mackerel]]
| ''S. queenslandicus''<br /><small>(Munro, 1943)</small>
| align="right" | {{cvt|100|cm}}
| align="right" | {{cvt|80|cm}}
| align="right" | {{cvt|12.2|kg}}
| align="right" | 10 years
| align="center" | 4.5
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Scomberomorus | species = queenslandicus | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" | 
| [[File:LC IUCN 3 1.svg|LC IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Least concern</small><ref name=IUCNqueenslandicus>{{cite iucn |author=Collette, B. |author2=Di Natale, A. |author3=Dooley, J. |author4=Fox, W. |author5=Fritzsche, R. |author6=Juan Jorda, M. |author7=Matsuura, K. |author8=Nelson, J. |author9=Nelson, R. |date=2011 |title=''Scomberomorus queenslandicus'' |volume=2011 |article-number=e.T154946A4674361 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T154946A4674361.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[Cero (fish)|Cero mackerel]]
| ''S. regalis''<br /><small>(Bloch, 1793)</small>
| align="right" | {{cvt|183|cm}}
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | {{cvt|8.2|kg}}
| align="right" | 
| align="center" | 4.5
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Scomberomorus | species = regalis | month = December | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" | 
| [[File:LC IUCN 3 1.svg|LC IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Least concern</small><ref name=IUCNregalis>{{cite iucn |author=Collette, B. |author2=Amorim, A.F. |author3=Boustany, A. |author4=Carpenter, K.E. |author5=de Oliveira Leite Jr. |author6=N. |author7=Di Natale, A. |author8=Fox, W. |author9=Fredou, F.L. |author10=Graves, J. |author11=Viera Hazin, F.H. |author12=Juan Jorda, M. |author13=Minte Vera, C. |author14=Miyabe, N. |author15=Nelson, R. |author16=Oxenford, H. |author17=Teixeira Lessa, R.P. |author18=Pires Ferreira Travassos, P.E. |date=2011 |title=''Scomberomorus regalis'' |volume=2011 |article-number=e.T170327A6749725 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T170327A6749725.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[Broadbarred king mackerel]]
| ''S. semifasciatus''<br /><small>(Macleay, 1883)</small>
| align="right" |  {{cvt|120|cm}}
| align="right" |  
| align="right" |  {{Convert|10|kg|lb|abbr=on}}
| align="right" |  10 years
| align="center" | 4.5
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Scomberomorus | species = semifasciatus | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" | 
| [[File:LC IUCN 3 1.svg|LC IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Least concern</small><ref name=IUCNsemifasciatus>{{cite iucn |author=Collette, B. |author2=Carpenter, K.E. |author3=Di Natale, A. |author4=Fox, W. |author5=Juan Jorda, M. |author6=Nelson, R. |date=2011 |title=''Scomberomorus semifasciatus'' |volume=2011 |article-number=e.T170337A6754351 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T170337A6754351.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[Pacific sierra]]
| ''S. sierra''<br /><small>(Cuvier, 1832)</small>
| align="right" | {{cvt|99|cm}}
| align="right" | {{cvt|60|cm}}
| align="right" | {{cvt|8.2|kg}}
| align="right" | 
| align="center" | 4.5
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Scomberomorus | species = sierra | month = December | year = 2012}}</ref><ref name=":0" />
| align="center" | 
| [[File:LC IUCN 3 1.svg|LC IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Least concern</small><ref name="IUCNsierra">{{cite iucn |author=Collette, B. |author2=Amorim, A.F. |author3=Boustany, A. |author4=Carpenter, K.E. |author5=de Oliveira Leite Jr. |author6=N. |author7=Di Natale, A. |author8=Fox, W. |author9=Fredou, F.L. |author10=Viera Hazin, F.H. |author11=Juan Jorda, M. |author12=Kada, O. |author13=Minte Vera, C. |author14=Miyabe, N. |author15=Nelson, R. |author16=Oxenford, H. |author17=Teixeira Lessa, R.P. |author18=Pires Ferreira Travassos, P.E. |date=2011 |title=''Scomberomorus tritor'' |volume=2011 |article-number=e.T170326A6749128 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T170326A6749128.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[Chinese mackerel]]
| ''S. sinensis''<br /><small>(Cuvier, 1832)</small>
| align="right" | {{cvt|247|cm}}
| align="right" | {{cvt|100|cm}}
| align="right" | {{Convert|131|kg|lb|abbr=on}}
| align="right" | 
| align="center" | 4.5
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Scomberomorus | species = sinensis | month = December | year = 2012}}</ref><ref name=":0" />
| align="center" | 
| [[File:NT IUCN 3 1.svg|NT IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Near threatened</small><ref>{{Cite iucn|title="Scomberomorus sinensis"|article-number=e.T170346A170088828|last=Collette, B.|year=2022|access-date=7 May 2025|last2=Chang, S.-K.}}</ref>
|-
| [[West African Spanish mackerel]]
| ''S. tritor''<br /><small>(Cuvier, 1832)</small>
| align="right" | {{cvt|100|cm}}
| align="right" | {{cvt|75|cm}}
| align="right" | {{Convert|6|kg|lb|abbr=on}}
| align="right" | 
| align="center" | 4.26
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Scomberomorus | species = tritor | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" | 
| [[File:LC IUCN 3 1.svg|LC IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Least concern</small><ref name="IUCNsierra"/>
|}

===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 recognized as separate species.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Poulin | first1 = E | last2 = Cárdenas | first2 = L | last3 = Hernández | first3 = CE | last4 = Kornfield | first4 = I | last5 = Ojeda | first5 = FP | year = 2004 | title = Resolution of the taxonomic status of Chilean and Californian jack mackerels using mitochondrial DNA sequence | journal = Journal of Fish Biology | volume = 65 | issue = 4| pages = 1160–1164 | doi = 10.1111/j.0022-1112.2004.00514.x | bibcode = 2004JFBio..65.1160P | url = https://repositorio.uchile.cl/handle/2250/157092 }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible"
|-
! colspan="11"| Other mackerel species
|-
! Family
! Common name
! Scientific name
! Maximum<br/>length
! Common<br/>length
! Maximum<br/>weight
! Maximum<br/>age
! [[Trophic level|Trophic<br/>level]]
! [[FishBase]]
! [[FAO]]
! [[IUCN|IUCN status]]
|-
| align="center" rowspan=1 |[[Scombridae]]<br /><small>''[[Gasterochisma]]''</small>
| [[Butterfly mackerel]]
| ''Gasterochisma melampus'' <small>[[John Richardson (naturalist)|Richardson]], 1845</small>
| align="right" |  {{cvt|164|cm}}
| align="right" |
| align="right" |  {{cvt|50|kg}}
| align="right" |  
| align="center" | 4.4
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Gasterochisma | species = melampus | month = December | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" |
| align="center" | [[File:LC IUCN 3 1.svg|LC IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Least concern</small><ref name=IUCNgasterochisma>{{cite iucn |author=Collette, B. |author2=Boustany, A. |author3=Carpenter, K.E. |author4=Di Natale, A. |author5=Fox, W. |author6=Graves, J. |author7=Juan Jorda, M. |author8=Miyabe, N. |author9=Nelson, R. |author10=Oxenford, H. |author11=Uozumi, Y. |date=2011 |title=''Gasterochisma melampus'' |volume=2011 |article-number=e.T170340A6756181 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T170340A6756181.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="11" align="center" |[[Carangidae]]<br /><small>Jack mackerel</small><!-- Just species with mackerel in common name, not all in trachurus genus. Maybe make visible comment? -->
| [[Mackerel scad|Mackerel Scad]]
| ''Decapterus macarellus'' <small>(Culiver, 1833)</small>
| align="right" |  {{cvt|46|cm}}
| align="right" |  {{cvt|30|cm}}
| align="right" |
| align="right" | 
| align="center" | 4.0
| align="center" |<ref>{{Cite web |title=Decapterus macarellus summary page |url=https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Decapterus_macarellus.html |access-date=2025-05-07 |website=FishBase |language=en}}</ref>
| align="center" |
| align="center" | [[File:LC IUCN 3 1.svg|LC IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Least concern</small><ref>{{Cite iucn|title="Decapterus macarellus"|article-number=e.T190117A115308983|last=Smith-Vaniz, W.F.|year=2015|access-date=7 May 2025|last2=Williams, J.T.|last3=Pina Amargos, F.|last4=Curtis, M.|last5=Brown, J.}}</ref>
|-
|[[Atlantic horse mackerel]]
|''Trachurus trachurus'' <small>(Linnaeus, 1758)</small>
| align="right"| {{cvt|70|cm}}
| align="right"| {{cvt|22|cm}}
| align="right"| {{cvt|2.0|kg}}
|
| align="center"| 3.64
| align="center"| <ref>{{FishBase|genus=Trachurus|species=trachurus|month=March|year=2012}}</ref>
| align="center" |<ref>{{cite web |title=Species Fact Sheet: ''Trachurus trachurus'' (Linnaeus, 1758) |url=http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/2306/en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180716221543/http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/2306/en |archive-date=2018-07-16 |access-date=2012-03-02 |publisher=[[FAO]]}}</ref>
|<small>[[File:VU IUCN 3 1.svg|VU IUCN 3 1.svg]] Vulnerable</small><ref>{{Cite iucn|title="Trachurus trachurus"|article-number=e.T198647A43157137|last=Smith-Vaniz, W.F|year=2015|access-date=7 May 2025|last2=Sidibe, A.|last3=Nunoo, F.|last4=Lindeman, K.|last5=Williams, A.B|last6=Quartey, R.|last7=Camara, K.|last8=Carpenter, K.E., Montiero, V., de Morais, L., Djiman, R., Sylla, M. & Sagna, A}}</ref>
|-
| [[Blue jack mackerel]]
| ''T. picturatus'' <small>(Bowdich, 1825)</small>
| align="right" |  {{cvt|60|cm}}
| align="right" |  {{cvt|25|cm}}
| align="right" |
| align="right" |  18 years
| align="center" | 3.32
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Trachurus | species = picturatus | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" |
| [[File:LC IUCN 3 1.svg|LC IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Least concern</small><ref name="IUCNmurphyi">{{Cite IUCN|title="Trachurus picturatus"|article-number=e.T198646A43156817|last=Smith-Vaniz, W.F.|year=2025|access-date=7 May 2025}}</ref>
|-
| [[Cape horse mackerel]]
| ''T. capensis'' <small>(Castelnau, 1861)</small>
| align="right" | {{cvt|60|cm}}
| align="right" | {{cvt|30|cm}}
| align="right" |
| align="right" |
| align="center" | 3.47
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Trachurus | species = capensis | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" |<ref>{{cite web | title = Species Fact Sheet: ''Trachurus capensis'' (Castelnau, 1861) | url = http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/3105/en | publisher = [[FAO]] | access-date = 2012-03-02 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171126111348/http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/3105/en | archive-date = 2017-11-26 | url-status = live}}</ref>
| align="center" | <small>[[File:LC IUCN 3 1.svg|LC IUCN 3 1.svg]] Least concern</small><ref>{{Cite iucn|title="Trachurus capensis"|article-number=e.T21113101A43156455|last=Smith-Vaniz, W.F.|year=2018|access-date=7 May 2025|last2=Carpenter, K.E|last3=Borsa, P.|last4=Obata, C.|last5=Yahya, S.|last6=Jiddawi, N.}}</ref>
|-
| [[Chilean jack mackerel]]
| ''T. murphyi'' <small>(Nichols, 1920)</small>
| align="right" | {{cvt|70|cm}}
| align="right" | {{cvt|45|cm}}
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 16 years
| align="center" | 3.49
| align="center" |<ref name=FishBasemurphyi>{{FishBase | genus = Trachurus | species = murphyi | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" |<ref name=FAOmurphyi>{{cite web | title = Species Fact Sheet: ''Trachurus murphyi'' (Nichols, 1920) | url = http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/2309/en | publisher = [[FAO]] | access-date = 2012-03-02 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181015012246/http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/2309/en | archive-date = 2018-10-15 | url-status = live}}</ref>
| [[File:DD IUCN 3 1.svg|DD IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Data deficient</small><ref name="IUCNmurphyi"/>
|-
| [[Cunene horse mackerel]] 
| ''T. trecae'' <small>(Cadenat, 1950)</small>
| align="right" | {{cvt|35|cm}}
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | {{cvt|2.0|kg}}
| align="right" | 
| align="center" | 3.49
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Trachurus | species = trecae | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" |<ref>{{cite web | title = Species Fact Sheet: ''Trachurus trecae'' (Cadenat, 1949) | url = http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/3106/en | publisher = [[FAO]] | access-date = 2012-03-02 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180724042410/http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/3106/en | archive-date = 2018-07-24 | url-status = live}}</ref>
| align="center" | <small>[[File:LC IUCN 3 1.svg|LC IUCN 3 1.svg]] Least concern</small><ref>{{Cite iucn|title="Trachurus trecae"|article-number=e.T21113110A43157620|last=Smith-Vaniz, W.F.|year=2015|access-date=7 May 2025|last2=Montiero, V.|last3=Camara, K.|last4=Sidibe, A.|last5=Sylla, M.}}</ref>
|-
| [[Greenback horse mackerel]]
| ''T. declivis'' <small>(Jenyns, 1841)</small>
| align="right" | {{cvt|64|cm}}
| align="right" | {{cvt|42|cm}}
| align="right" |  
| align="right" | 25 years
| align="center" | 3.93
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Trachurus | species = declivis | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" |<ref>{{cite web | title = Species Fact Sheet: ''Trachurus declivis'' (Jenyns, 1841) | url = http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/2313/en | publisher = [[FAO]] | access-date = 2012-03-02 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180330125236/http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/2313/en | archive-date = 2018-03-30 | url-status = live}}</ref>
| align="center" | <small>[[File:LC IUCN 3 1.svg|LC IUCN 3 1.svg]] Least concern</small><ref>{{Cite iucn|title="Trachurus declivis"|article-number=e.T20437665A67871520|last=Smith-Vaniz, W.F.|year=2018|access-date=7 May 2025|last2=Carpenter, K.E.|last3=Borsa, P.|last4=Jiddawi, N.|last5=Obota, C.|last6=Yahya, S.}}</ref>
|-
| [[Japanese horse mackerel]]
| ''T. japonicus'' <small>(Temminck & Schlegel, 1844)</small>
| align="right" | {{cvt|50|cm}}
| align="right" | {{cvt|35|cm}}
| align="right" | {{cvt|0.66|kg}}
| align="right" | 12 years
| align="center" | 3.4
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Trachurus | species = japonicus | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" |<ref>{{cite web | title = Species Fact Sheet: ''Trachurus japonicus'' (Temminck & Schlegel, 1844) | url = http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/2308/en | publisher = [[FAO]] | access-date = 2012-03-02 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170730140855/http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/2308/en | archive-date = 2017-07-30 | url-status = live}}</ref>
| align="center" | <small>[[File:NT IUCN 3 1.svg|NT IUCN 3 1.svg]] Near threatened</small><ref>{{Cite iucn|title="Trachurus japonicus"|article-number=e.T20437783A67871570|last=Carpenter, K.E.|year=2018|access-date=7 May 2025|last2=Jiddawi, N.|last3=Borsa, P.|last4=Smith-Vaniz, W.F.|last5=Yahya, S.|last6=Obota, C.}}</ref>
|-
| [[Mediterranean horse mackerel]]
| ''T. mediterraneus'' <small>(Steindachner, 1868)</small>
| align="right" | {{cvt|60|cm}}
| align="right" | {{cvt|30|cm}}
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="center" | 3.59
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Trachurus | species = mediterraneus | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" |<ref>{{cite web | title = Species Fact Sheet: ''Trachurus mediterraneus'' (Steindachner, 1868) | url = http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/2311/en | publisher = [[FAO]] | access-date = 2012-03-02 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190328231000/http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/2311/en | archive-date = 2019-03-28 | url-status = live}}</ref>

| align="center" | <small>[[File:LC IUCN 3 1.svg|LC IUCN 3 1.svg]] Least concern</small><ref>{{Cite journal |last=William F. Smith-Vaniz (??) |date=2013-05-10 |title=IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Trachurus mediterraneus |url=https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/198645/43156470 |journal=IUCN Red List of Threatened Species |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250219185414/https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/198645/43156470 |archive-date=19 February 2025 |access-date=24 April 2025 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[Pacific jack mackerel]]
| ''T. symmetricus'' <small>(Ayres, 1855)</small>
| align="right" | {{cvt|81|cm}}
| align="right" | {{cvt|55|cm}}
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 30 years
| align="center" | 3.56
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Trachurus | species = symmetricus | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" | 
| [[File:LC IUCN 3 1.svg|LC IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Least concern</small><ref name=IUCNsymmetricus>{{cite iucn |author=Smith-Vaniz, B. |author2=Robertson, R. |author3=Dominici-Arosemena, A. |date=2010 |title=''Trachurus symmetricus'' |volume=2010 |article-number=e.T183729A8166054 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T183729A8166054.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[Yellowtail horse mackerel]]
| ''T. novaezelandiae'' <small>(Richardson, 1843)</small>
| align="right" | {{cvt|50|cm}}
| align="right" | {{cvt|35|cm}}
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 25 years
| align="center" | 4.5
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Trachurus | species = novaezelandiae | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | <small>[[File:LC IUCN 3 1.svg|LC IUCN 3 1.svg]] Least concern</small><ref>{{Cite iucn|title="Trachurus novaezelandiae"|article-number=e.T20437921A65928000|last=Smith-Vaniz, W.F.|year=2018|access-date=7 May 2025|last2=Borsa, P.|last3=Carpenter, K.E.|last4=Jiddawi, N.|last5=Obota, C.|last6=Yahya, S.}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" rowspan=5 |[[Gempylidae]]<br /><small>Snake mackerel</small>
| [[Black snake mackerel]]
| ''Nealotus tripes'' <small>(Johnson, 1865)</small>
| align="right" | {{cvt|25|cm}}
| align="right" | {{cvt|15|cm}}
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="center" | 4.2
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Nealotus | species = tripes | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | [[File:LC IUCN 3 1.svg|LC IUCN 3 1.svg]] <small>Least concern</small><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Bruce Collette (Smithsonian, USA) |last2=William F. Smith-Vaniz (??) |last3=Jeffrey Williams (National Museum of Natural History) |last4=Monique Curtis (National Environment & Planning Agency (Jamaica)) |last5=Lyda Marcela Grijalba Bendeck (Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Ingeniería, Programa de Biología Marina, GIPECA (Colombia)) |last6=Fabian Pina Amargos (Centro de Investigaciones de Ecosistemas Costeros (CIEC) (Cuba)) |date=2012-08-22 |title=IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Nealotus tripes |url=https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/16509242/16510887 |journal=IUCN Red List of Threatened Species |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250129172510/https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/16509242/16510887 |archive-date=29 January 2025 |access-date=24 April 2025 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[Blacksail snake mackerel]]
| ''Thyrsitoides marleyi'' <small>(Fowler, 1929)</small>
| align="right" | {{cvt|200|cm}}
| align="right" | {{cvt|100|cm}}
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="center" | 4.19
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Thyrsitoides | species = marleyi | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | <small>Not assessed</small>
|-
| [[Snake mackerel]] 
| ''Gempylus serpens'' <small>(Cuvier, 1829)</small>
| align="right" | {{cvt|100|cm}}
| align="right" | {{cvt|60|cm}}
| align="right" |  
| align="right" | 
| align="center" | 4.35
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Gempylus | species = serpens | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | <small>[[File:LC IUCN 3 1.svg|LC IUCN 3 1.svg]] Least concern</small><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Bruce Collette (Smithsonian, USA) |last2=William F. Smith-Vaniz (??) |last3=Jeffrey Williams (National Museum of Natural History) |last4=Monique Curtis (National Environment & Planning Agency (Jamaica)) |last5=Lyda Marcela Grijalba Bendeck (Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Ingeniería, Programa de Biología Marina, GIPECA (Colombia)) |last6=Fabian Pina Amargos (Centro de Investigaciones de Ecosistemas Costeros (CIEC) (Cuba)) |date=2012-08-23 |title=IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Gempylus serpens |url=https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/16509126/16510882 |journal=IUCN Red List of Threatened Species |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241228081803/https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/16509126/16510882 |archive-date=28 December 2024 |access-date=24 April 2025 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[Violet snake mackerel]]
| ''Nesiarchus nasutus'' <small>(Johnson, 1862)</small>
| align="right" | {{cvt|130|cm}}
| align="right" | {{cvt|80|cm}}
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="center" | 4.33
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Nesiarchus | species = nasutus | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | <small>[[File:LC IUCN 3 1.svg|LC IUCN 3 1.svg]] Least concern</small><ref>{{Cite web |title=IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Nesiarchus nasutus |url=https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/18158583/21913493 |website=IUCN Redlist|date=25 August 2014 |last3=Smith-Vaniz (??) |first3=William F. }}</ref>
|-
| [[White snake mackerel]]
| ''Thyrsitops lepidopoides'' <small>(Cuvier, 1832)</small>
| align="right" | {{cvt|40|cm}}
| align="right" | {{cvt|25|cm}}
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="center" | 3.86
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Thyrsitops | species = lepidopoides | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | <small>Not assessed</small>
|-
| align="center" rowspan=2 |[[Hexagrammidae]]
| [[Okhotsk atka mackerel]]
| ''Pleurogrammus azonus'' <small>(Jordan & Metz, 1913)</small>
| align="right" | {{cvt|62|cm}}
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | {{cvt|1.6|kg}}
| align="right" | 12 years
| align="center" | 3.58
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Pleurogrammus | species = azonus | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" |<ref>{{cite web | title = Species Fact Sheet: ''Pleurogrammus azonus'' (Jordan & Metz, 1913) | url = http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/2534/en | publisher = [[FAO]] | access-date = 2012-03-02 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180214082907/http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/2534/en | archive-date = 2018-02-14 | url-status = live}}</ref>
| align="center" | <small>Not assessed</small>
|-
| [[Atka mackerel]]
| ''P. monopterygius'' <small>(Pallas, 1810)</small>
| align="right" | {{cvt|56.5|cm}}
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | {{cvt|2.0|kg}}
| align="right" | 14 years
| align="center" | 3.33
| align="center" |<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Pleurogrammus | species = monopterygius | month = March | year = 2012}}</ref>
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | <small>Not assessed</small>
|}

[[File:Van Gogh - Stillleben mit Makrelen, Zitronen und Tomaten.jpeg|thumb|right|Still life with mackerel, lemon and tomato, [[Van Gogh]], 1886]]

The term "mackerel" is also used as a modifier in the common names of other fish, sometimes indicating the fish has vertical stripes similar to a scombroid mackerel:

* [[Mackerel icefish]]—''Champsocephalus gunnari''
* [[Pacific saury|Mackerel pike]]—''Cololabis saira''
* [[Mackerel shark]]—several species
* [[Shortfin mako shark]]—''Isurus oxyrinchus''
* [[Euthynnus affinis|Mackerel tuna]]—''Euthynnus affinis''
* [[Tamasaba|Mackerel tail goldfish]]—''Carassius auratus''

By extension, the term is applied also to other species such as the [[Tabby cat#Mackerel tabby|mackerel tabby cat]],<ref>{{cite web | title = Glossary of definitions of cat terms for the breeder | url = http://www.showcatsonline.com/x/glossary.shtml#M | publisher = Cats online | access-date = 2012-04-07 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190109122235/http://www.showcatsonline.com/x/glossary.shtml#M | archive-date = 2019-01-09 | url-status = live}}</ref> and to inanimate objects such as the [[altocumulus mackerel sky]] cloud formation.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iazUAAAAQBAJ&pg=PT154|page=154|title=Metereology of Clouds|author=Downing, L. L.|year=2013|publisher=AuthorHouse |isbn=978-1-4918-0433-9}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Metereology Today|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5Dx-BAAAQBAJ&pg=PT153|first1=C. Donald |last1=Ahrens|first2= Robert|last2= Henson|year=2015|publisher=Cengage Learning|page=153|isbn = 978-1-305-48062-9}}</ref>

{{clear}}

==Characteristics (Scombridae)==
[[File:Scomber scombrus illustration.png|thumb|400px|Like other scombroids, mackerel such as this [[Atlantic mackerel]] are superb swimmers, and can retract their fins into grooves on their bodies for streamlining. They have deeply forked tails and are smaller and slimmer than [[tuna]].<ref name=FAOTuna /><ref>{{cite web | date = 2007-05-01 | title = Species Fact Sheet: Atlantic mackerel ''(Scomber scombrus)'' | url = http://www.gov.ns.ca/fish/sportfishing/species/atlmack.shtml | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120314152001/http://www.gov.ns.ca/fish/sportfishing/species/atlmack.shtml | archive-date = 2012-03-14 | publisher = Nova Scotia Fisheries and Aquaculture }}</ref>]]

Most mackerel belong to the family Scombridae, which also includes [[tuna]] and [[bonito]]. Generally, mackerel are much smaller and slimmer than tuna, though in other respects, they share many common characteristics. Their [[Fish scale|scales]], if present at all, are extremely small. Like tuna and bonito, mackerel are voracious feeders, and are swift and manoeuvrable swimmers, able to streamline themselves by retracting their fins into grooves on their bodies. Like other scombroids, they lack a [[swim bladder]], and their bodies are cylindrical with numerous [[Fish fin|finlets]] on the [[dorsum (biology)|dorsal]] and [[ventral]] sides behind the [[dorsal fin|dorsal]] and [[anal fin]]s, but unlike the deep-bodied tuna, they are slim.<ref name=FAOTuna />

The [[type species]] for scombroid mackerels is the Atlantic mackerel, ''Scomber scombrus''. These fish are [[iridescence|iridescent]] blue-green above with a silvery underbelly and near-vertical wavy black stripes running along their upper bodies.<ref name=FishBasescombrus /><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.fishwatch.gov/seafood_profiles/species/mackerel/species_pages/atlantic_mackerel.htm | title = Atlantic mackerel | publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | work = FishWatch | access-date = 2012-03-12 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120320184708/http://www.fishwatch.gov/seafood_profiles/species/mackerel/species_pages/atlantic_mackerel.htm | archive-date = 2012-03-20 }}</ref>{{Failed verification | date = May 2019 | reason = Both references don't say anything about type species, colors, or stripes, i.e., don't say anything about what these two sentences say at all.}}

The prominent stripes on the back of mackerels seemingly are there to provide camouflage against broken backgrounds. That is not the case, though, because mackerel live in midwater pelagic environments which have no background.<ref name=Denton1998>{{cite journal | last1 = Denton | first1 = EJ | last2 = Rowe | first2 = DM | year = 1998 | title = Bands against stripes on the backs of mackerel, ''Scomber scombrus'' L. | journal = Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B | volume = 265 | issue = 1401 | pages = 1051–1058 | pmc = 1689176 | doi = 10.1098/rspb.1998.0398 }}</ref> However, fish have an [[optokinetic reflex]] in their [[Vision in fish|visual systems]] that can be sensitive to moving stripes.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Shaw | first1 = E | last2 = Tucker | first2 = A | year = 1965 | title = The optomotor reaction of schooling carangid fishes | journal = Animal Behaviour | volume = 13 | issue = 2–3| pages = 330–336 | doi=10.1016/0003-3472(65)90052-7| pmid = 5835850 }}</ref> For fish to school efficiently, they need feedback mechanisms that help them align themselves with adjacent fish, and match their speed. The stripes on neighbouring fish provide "schooling marks", which signal changes in relative position.<ref name=Denton1998 /><ref name="Bone">{{cite book | last1 = Bone | first1 = Q | last2 = Moore | first2 = RH | year = 2008 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=sLoqT_xWaqoC&q=%22Biology+of+fishes%22++Bone+Moore | title = Biology of Fishes | publisher = Taylor & Francis Group | pages = 418–422 | isbn = 978-0-415-37562-7}}</ref> The [[lateral line]] also helps with orderly [[Shoaling and schooling|schooling]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Terpstra |first=Styze |date=September 27, 2010 |title=The role of the lateral line in schooling |url=https://fse.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/9477/1/Biol_BC_2010_Sytzeterpstra.pdf |website=University of Groningen}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last1=Tidswell |first1=Ben K. |title=Different functions for the lateral line in schooling behavior in three fish species |date=2025-01-25 |url=https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.24.634378v1 |access-date=2025-04-24 |publisher=bioRxiv |language=en |doi=10.1101/2025.01.24.634378 |last2=Tytell |first2=Eric D.|doi-access=free }}</ref>

{{clear}}

[[File:Pacific Jack Mackerel School, 2007.jpg|thumb|360px|left|Mackerel, such as these [[Pacific jack mackerel]], usually have vertical stripes on their sides which provide "schooling marks", visual clues that help them stay in formation as they [[Shoaling and schooling|school]].<ref name=Denton1998 />]]

A layer of thin, reflecting platelets is seen on some of the mackerel stripes. In 1998, [[Eric James Denton|E J Denton]] and D M Rowe argued that these platelets transmit additional information to other fish about how a given fish moves. As the orientation of the fish changes relative to another fish, the amount of light reflected to the second fish by this layer also changes. This sensitivity to orientation gives the mackerel "considerable advantages in being able to react quickly while schooling and feeding."<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Rowe | first1 = DM | last2 = Denton | first2 = EJ | author-link2= Eric James Denton|year = 1997 | title = The physical basis of reflective communication between fish, with special reference to the horse mackerel, ''Trachurus trachurus'' | journal = Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B | volume = 352 | issue = 1353| pages = 531–549 | pmc=1691948 | doi=10.1098/rstb.1997.0037| bibcode = 1997RSPTB.352..531R }}</ref>

Mackerel range in size from small [[forage fish]] to larger [[game fish]]. Coastal mackerel tend to be small.<ref name="Lal8">{{cite book | last1 = Lal | first1 = BV | last2 = Fortune | first2 = K | year = 2000 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=T5pPpJl8E5wC&q=%22Pelagic+fish%22&pg=PA8 | title = The Pacific Islands: An encyclopedia | publisher = University of Hawaii Press | page = 8 | isbn = 978-0-8248-2265-1 }}</ref> The king mackerel is an example of a larger mackerel. Most fish are [[Ectothermic|cold-blooded]], but exceptions exist. Certain species of fish maintain elevated body temperatures. [[Warm-blooded|Endothermic]] [[bony fish]]es are all in the suborder [[Scombroidei]] and include the [[butterfly mackerel]], a species of [[Primitive (phylogenetics)|primitive]] mackerel.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Block | first1 = BA | last2 = Finnerty | first2 = JR | year = 1993 | title = Endothermy in fishes: a phylogenetic analysis of constraints, predispositions, and selection pressures | journal = Environmental Biology of Fishes | volume = 40 | issue = 3 | pages = 283–302 | doi = 10.1007/BF00002518 | s2cid = 28644501 }}</ref>

Mackerel are strong swimmers. Known in the latin family as "punctualis piscis" which translates to "punctual fish." This is due to its punctuality of migration during mating season as it moves from warm to cold waters. Atlantic mackerel can swim at a sustained speed of 0.98 m/sec with a burst speed of 5.5&nbsp;m/sec,<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Wardle | first1 = CS | last2 = He | first2 = P | year = 1988 | title = Burst swimming speeds of mackerel, ''Scomber scombrus'' | journal = Journal of Fish Biology | volume = 32 | issue = 3| pages = 471–478 | doi=10.1111/j.1095-8649.1988.tb05382.x| bibcode = 1988JFBio..32..471W }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Wardle | first1 = CS | last2 = He | first2 = P | year = 1988 | title = Endurance at intermediate swimming speeds of Atlantic mackerel, ''Scomber scombrus'' L., herring, ''Clupea harengus'' L., and saithe, ''Pollachius virens'' L | journal = Journal of Fish Biology | volume = 33 | issue = 2| pages = 255–266 | doi=10.1111/j.1095-8649.1988.tb05468.x| bibcode = 1988JFBio..33..255H }}</ref> while chub mackerel can swim at a sustained speed of 0.92&nbsp;m/sec with a burst speed of 2.25&nbsp;m/sec.<ref name=FAOTuna>{{cite web | title = FAO Fact Sheet: Biological characteristics of tuna | url = http://www.fao.org/fishery/topic/16082/en | access-date = 2012-03-06 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190205223834/http://www.fao.org/fishery/topic/16082/en | archive-date = 2019-02-05 | url-status = live}}</ref> The [[Wahoo]] (''Acanthocybium solandri'') has been known to reach speeds of up to {{Convert|78|kph|mph|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Top 5 Fastest Fish in the Ocean {{!}} The Speedsters of the Sea |url=https://danawharf.com/blog/top-5-fastest-fish-in-the-ocean/ |access-date=2025-04-06 |website=Dana Wharf |language=en-US}}</ref>

{{clear}}

==Distribution==
{{multiple image
| align             = left
| caption_align     = center
| direction         = vertical
| width             = 234
| header            = 
| header_align      = <!-- left/right/center -->
| header_background = 
| footer            = 
| footer_align      = <!-- left/right/center -->
| footer_background = 
| background color  = 
| image1            = 
| alt1              = 
| caption1          = 
| image2            = Sccav_u0.gif
| alt2              = 
| caption2          = [[King mackerel]]s (Scomberomorus cavalla) cruise on long migrations at 10 kilometres per hour (6.2 mph).<ref name="pfa">
{{cite web | title = Pelagic species | url = http://www.pfa-frozenfish.com/pfa2/fish1.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120211174604/http://www.pfa-frozenfish.com/pfa2/fish1.html | archive-date = 2012-02-11 | publisher = Pelagic Freezer-trawler Association | access-date = 2009-07-22 }}</ref><ref name="Mackerel">
{{cite web | title = Mackerel | url = http://www.imr.no/temasider/fisk/makrell/makrell/en | publisher = [[Institute of Marine Research]] | access-date = 2009-07-23 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170811181544/http://www.imr.no/temasider/fisk/makrell/makrell/en | archive-date = 2017-08-11 }}</ref>
}}

Most mackerel species have restricted distribution ranges,<ref name=FAOTuna /> while others, like the Wahoo, are found in all oceans between 59°N and 48°S.<ref name=":1" />

In combination, these fish (Scombroids) can be found worldwide in all oceans of the world, excluding the [[Southern Ocean|Southern]] and [[Arctic Ocean|Arctic Oceans]]. However, the [[Atlantic chub mackerel]] has been spotted near [[Greenland]] in the [[Arctic Ocean]] on rare occasions as [[Climate change|global warming]] makes the Arctic more habitable for them.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Katz |first=Cheryl |date=May 10, 2018 |title=Alien Waters: Neighboring Seas Are Flowing into a Warming Arctic Ocean |url=https://e360.yale.edu:8443/features/alien-waters-neighboring-seas-are-flowing-into-a-warming-arctic-ocean |website=Yale Environment 360}}</ref>

Some mackerel species, especially [[Pelagic fish|pelagic]] and [[Filter feeder|filter feeding]] one such as chub mackerel, migrate vertically, staying at certain depths depending on the time of day and food availability.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Yasuda |first1=Tohya |last2=Kinoshita |first2=Junji |last3=Niino |first3=Yohei |last4=Okuyama |first4=Junichi |date=2023-04-01 |title=Vertical migration patterns linked to body and environmental temperatures in chub mackerel |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0079661123000605#:~:text=Mackerel%20showed%20a%20normal%20pattern,ambiguous%20in%20the%20spawning%20season. |journal=Progress in Oceanography |volume=213 |article-number=103017 |doi=10.1016/j.pocean.2023.103017 |bibcode=2023PrOce.21303017Y |issn=0079-6611|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

For example, adult [[snake mackerel]], conduct a [[diel vertical migration]], staying in deeper water during the day and rising to the surface at night to feed. The young and juveniles also migrate vertically, but in the opposite direction, staying near the surface during the day and moving deeper at night.<ref name="burton">{{cite book |title=International Wildlife Encyclopedia |author=Burton, R. |publisher=Marshall Cavendish |year=2002 |isbn=978-0-7614-7266-7}}</ref> 

{{clear}}

==Lifecycle and ecology (Scombroids)==
[[File:Scramble^^ A Gannet begins its take off run. - geograph.org.uk - 1368991.jpg|thumb|right|[[Gannet]]s and other seabirds fuel themselves with mackerel]]

Mackerel are prolific [[broadcast spawner]]s, and must breed near the surface of the water because the eggs of the females float. Individual females lay between 300,000 and 1,500,000 eggs.<ref name=FAOTuna /> Their [[Fish egg|eggs]] and [[Ichthyoplankton|larvae]] are [[pelagic]], that is, they float free in the open sea. The larvae and juvenile mackerel feed on [[zooplankton]]. As adults, they have sharp teeth, and hunt small crustaceans such as [[copepod]]s, [[forage fish]], [[shrimp]], and [[squid]]. In turn, they are hunted by larger pelagic animals such as tuna, [[billfish]], [[Sea lion|sea lions]], [[shark]]s, and [[pelican]]s.<ref name=FAOjaponicus /><ref name=FAOcavalla /><ref>{{cite web | title = Forage species | url = http://www.fao.org/fishery/topic/4290/en | publisher = [[FAO]] | access-date = 2019-05-06 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181221041523/http://www.fao.org/fishery/topic/4290/en | archive-date = 2018-12-21 | url-status = live }}</ref>

Off [[Madagascar]], [[Spinner shark|spinner sharks]] follow migrating schools of mackerel.<ref name="compagno">{{cite book |author=Compagno, L.J.V. |year=1984 |title=Sharks of the World: An Annotated and Illustrated Catalogue of Shark Species Known to Date |place=Rome |publisher=Food and Agricultural Organization |isbn=978-92-5-101384-7 |pages=466–468}}</ref> [[Bryde's whale]]s feed on mackerel when they can find them. They use several feeding methods, including [[Ram feeding|skimming the surface]], [[Lunge feeding|lunging]], and [[bubble net]]s.<ref name=NOAA>{{cite web | title = Bryde's Whale ''(Balaenoptera edeni)'' | url = http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/mammals/cetaceans/brydeswhale.htm | publisher = Noaa Fisheries, Office of Protected Resources | access-date = 2009-12-31 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100619094748/http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/mammals/cetaceans/brydeswhale.htm | archive-date = 2010-06-19 }}</ref>

{{clear}}

==Fisheries==
{{multiple image
 | align = right
 | caption_align = center
 | direction = vertical
 | width     = 400
 | header            = Global capture of mackerel in tonnes reported by the [[FAO]] 1950–2009
 | header_align      = 
 | header_background = 
 | footer            = 
 | footer_align      = 
 | footer_background = 
 | background color  = 
 | image1    = Global capture of true mackerel 1950–2009.png
 | alt1      = 
 | caption1  = ↑&nbsp; Scombroid mackerels<ref name=FAOdata />
 | image2    = Global capture of other mackerel 1950–2009.png
 | alt2      = 
 | caption2  = ↑&nbsp; Non-scombroid mackerels<ref name=FAOdata />
 | image3    = <!-- add this here because its presence corrects a scaling bug -->
}}

{{multiple image
| align             = left
| caption_align     = center
| direction         = vertical
| width             = 220
| header            = Main commercial species
| header_align      = center
| header_background = 
| footer            = 
| footer_align      = 
| footer_background = 
| background color  = 
| image1            = Scjap u0.gif
| alt1              = 
| caption1          = The [[chub mackerel]] is the most intensively fished mackerel in the scombroid family.
| image2            = Chilean purse seine.jpg
| alt2              = 
| caption2          = Chilean jack mackerel have been overfished and the population may be in danger of collapsing. Here an entire [[Shoaling and schooling|school]] of about 400 tons is encircled by a [[purse seiner]].
}}
{{Clear}}
[[File:A bunch of Mackerel freshly caught on a African beach.jpg|thumb|A fresh catch from an African beach]]

Chub mackerel, ''Scomber japonicus'', are the most intensively fished scombroid mackerel. They account for about half the total capture production of scombroid mackerels.<ref name=FAOdata /> As a species, they are easily confused with Atlantic mackerel. Chub mackerel migrate long distances in oceans and across the Mediterranean. They can be caught with [[drift net]]s and suitable [[trawl]]s, but are most usually caught with [[surround net]]s at night by attracting them with lampara lamps.<ref>{{cite web | title = Chub mackerel | url = http://www.sicilianfishontheroad.com/en/il-pescato-siciliano/il-pesce-azzurro/lanzardo | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130313192422/http://www.sicilianfishontheroad.com/en/il-pescato-siciliano/il-pesce-azzurro/lanzardo | archive-date = 2013-03-13 | publisher = Sicilian Fish on the Road | access-date = 2012-04-06 }}</ref>

The remaining catch of scombroid mackerels is divided equally between the Atlantic mackerel and all other scombroid mackerels. 
Just these two species (Chub mackerel and Atlantic mackerel) account for about 75% of the total catch of scombroid mackerels.<ref name=FAOdata />

Chilean jack mackerel are the most commonly fished non-scombroid mackerel, fished as heavily as chub mackerel.<ref name=FAOdata /><ref name=FAOmurphyi /> The species has been [[Overfishing|overfished]], and its fishery may now be in danger of collapsing.<ref name=nytimes>
{{cite news | title = In mackerel's plunder, hints of epic fish collapse | date = 2012-01-25 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/25/science/earth/in-mackerels-plunder-hints-of-epic-fish-collapse.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all | work = The New York Times | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181221043313/https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/25/science/earth/in-mackerels-plunder-hints-of-epic-fish-collapse.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all | archive-date = 2018-12-21 | url-status = live}}</ref><ref name=iWatch2>
{{cite news | title = Lords of the fish | date = 2012-01-25 | url = http://www.iwatchnews.org/2012/01/25/7914/lords-fish | work = iWatch News | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120320194143/http://www.iwatchnews.org/2012/01/25/7914/lords-fish | archive-date = 2012-03-20 }}</ref>

Smaller mackerel behave like [[herring]]s, and are captured in similar ways.<ref name=Clapham1941 /> Fish species like these, which [[Shoaling and schooling|school]] near the surface, can be caught efficiently by purse seining. Huge purse-seine vessels use spotter planes to locate the schooling fish. Then they close in using sophisticated sonar to track the shape of the school, which is then encircled with fast auxiliary boats that deploy purse seines as they speed around the school.<ref>
{{cite web | title = Fishing vessel types: Purse seiners | url = http://www.fao.org/fishery/vesseltype/140/en | publisher = [[FAO]] | access-date = 2019-05-06 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190506095459/http://www.fao.org/fishery/vesseltype/140/en | archive-date = 2019-05-06 | url-status = live}}</ref><ref>
{{cite book | last1 = Gabriel | first1 = O | last2 = von Brandt | first2 = A | last3 = Lange | first3 = K | last4 = Dahm | first4 = E | last5 = Wendt | first5 = T | year = 2005 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ziAI8AZsmUoC&pg=PA444 | title = Seining in fresh and sea water | work = Fish catching methods of the world | publisher = Wiley-Blackwell | isbn = 978-0-85238-280-6 | pages = 431–448 }}</ref>

Suitably designed [[Trolling (fishing)|trollers]] can also catch mackerels effectively when they swim near the surface. Trollers typically have several long booms which they lift and drop with "topping lifts". They haul their lines with electric or hydraulic reels.<ref>{{cite web | title = Fishing Vessel type: Trollers | url = http://www.fao.org/fishery/vesseltype/360/en | publisher = [[FAO]] | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190403212959/http://www.fao.org/fishery/vesseltype/360/en | archive-date = 2019-04-03 | url-status = live}}</ref> [[Fish aggregating device]]s are also used to target mackerel.<ref name=hi>{{cite web | url = http://www.himb.hawaii.edu/FADS/ | title = The FAD FAQ | access-date = 2019-05-06 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181029004642/http://www.himb.hawaii.edu/FADS/ | archive-date = 2018-10-29 | url-status = live}}</ref>

{{clear}}

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" style="text-align: left;"
|-
! &nbsp; Images and videos &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
|-
|{{multiple image
 | align = left
 | caption_align = center
 | direction = horizontal
 | header            = 
 | header_align      = 
 | footer            = 
 | footer_align      = 
 | image1    = "Long-lining" for mackerel off Hopeman - geograph.org.uk - 1410170.jpg
 | width1    = 216
 | alt1      = 
 | caption1  = [[Longlining]] for mackerel
 | image2    = Narrow-barred Spanish Mackerel.jpg
 | width2    = 193
 | alt2      = 
 | caption2  = [[Narrow-barred Spanish mackerel]], largest of the scombroid mackerels and a fine [[game fish]] for sport fishermen
  }}
|{{external media
|float=right
|width=300px
|video1=[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1m6IKiO26c Bluefin Baitball] ''YouTube''
|video2=[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAyJSH6AAls Atlantic Mackerel Purse Seining 2007] ''YouTube''
 }}
|}

==Management and conservation==
The [[North Sea]] has been overfished to the point where the ecological balance has become disrupted and many jobs in the fishing industry have been lost.<ref>{{cite book | last1 = Clover | first1 = Charles | year = 2004 | title = The End of the Line: How overfishing is changing the world and what we eat | location = London | publisher = Ebury Press | isbn = 0-09-189780-7 }}</ref>

The Southeast US region spans the [[Gulf of Mexico]], the [[Caribbean Sea]], and the US Southeast Atlantic. Overfishing of [[king mackerel|king]] and [[Atlantic Spanish mackerel|Spanish mackerel]] occurred in the 1980s. Regulations were introduced to restrict the size, fishing locations, and bag limits for recreational fishers and commercial fishers. [[Gillnet]]s were banned in waters off Florida. By 2001, the mackerel stocks had recovered.<ref name="FAO Profile">{{cite web | title = FISHERY COUNTRY PROFILE: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | url = ftp://ftp.fao.org/FI/DOCUMENT/fcp/en/FI_CP_US.pdf | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170518220246/ftp://ftp.fao.org/FI/DOCUMENT/fcp/en/FI_CP_US.pdf | archive-date = 2017-05-18 | publisher = [[FAO]] }}</ref>

==As food==
[[File:Maquereaux etal.jpg|thumb|right|{{center|Atlantic mackerel on ice at a fish store}}]]
[[File:Mackerel freshly caught.jpg|thumb|Three freshly caught and gutted Mackerel from [[Mount's Bay]] in Cornwall]]
{{main|Mackerel as food}}
Mackerel is an important [[Fish as food|food fish]] that is consumed worldwide.<ref>{{cite book | title = The California mackerel fishery | last1 = Croker | first1 = Richard Symonds | year = 1933 | url = http://content.cdlib.org/view?docId=kt758005bw&query=&brand=calisphere | publisher = Division of Fish and Game of California | number = Contribution No. 125 from the California State Fisheries Laboratory | pages = 9–10}}</ref> As an [[oily fish]], it is a rich source of [[omega-3 fatty acid]]s.<ref>{{citation | url = http://www.jerseyseafood.nj.gov/nutrition.html | title = Jersey Seafood Nutrition and Health | publisher = State of New Jersey Department of Agriculture | access-date = 2012-04-06 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170701033752/http://www.jerseyseafood.nj.gov/nutrition.html | archive-date = 2017-07-01 | url-status = live}}</ref> The flesh of mackerel spoils quickly, especially in the tropics, and can cause [[scombroid food poisoning]]. Accordingly, it should be eaten on the day of capture, unless properly refrigerated or [[Curing (food preservation)|cured]].<ref>{{cite web | date = November 2007 | title = Scombrotoxin (Histamine) | url = http://www.foodsafetywatch.com/public/484.cfm | url-status = usurped | publisher = Food Safety Watch | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120713020029/http://www.foodsafetywatch.com/public/484.cfm | archive-date = 2012-07-13 }}</ref>

Mackerel preservation is not simple. Before the 19th-century development of canning and the widespread availability of refrigeration, salting and smoking were the principal preservation methods available.<ref>{{harvp | Croker | 1933 | pp = 104-105 }}</ref> Historically in England, this fish was not preserved, but was consumed only in its fresh form. However, spoilage was common, leading the authors of ''The Cambridge Economic History of Europe'' to remark: "There are more references to stinking mackerel in English literature than to any other fish!"<ref name=Clapham1941 /> In France, mackerel was traditionally pickled with large amounts of salt, which allowed it to be sold widely across the country.<ref name=Clapham1941>{{cite book | last1 = Clapham | first1 = JH | last2 = Postan | first2 = MM | last3 = Rich | first3 = EE | year = 1941 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=gBw9AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA166 | title = The Cambridge economic history of Europe | publisher = CUP Archive | pages = 166–168 | isbn = 978-0-521-08710-0}}</ref>

For many years mackerel was regarded as 'unclean' in the UK and other places due to folklore which suggested that the fish fed on the corpses of dead sailors.<ref name = BBCandrew>{{Cite web|last=McFarlane|first=Andrew|date=2010-08-24|title=Why is Britain braced for a mackerel war?|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-11062674|access-date=2022-08-02|website=[[BBC News]]|language=en}}</ref> A 1976 survey of housewives in Britain undertaken by the [[Sea Fish Industry Authority|White Fish Authority]] indicated a reluctance to departing from buying the traditional staples of cod, haddock or salmon. Less than 10% of the survey's 1,931 respondents had ever bought mackerel, and only 3% did so regularly. As a result of this trend, many UK [[fishmonger]]s during the 1970s did not display or even stock mackerel.<ref name = BBCandrew/>
{{Clear}}<!--Prevents disrupting the ref section-->

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite journal | last1 = Ahlstrom | first1 = EH | year = 1956 | title = Eggs and larvae of anchovy, jack mackerel, and Pacific mackerel | url = http://www.calcofi.org/publications/calcofireports/v05/Vol_05_Eggs___Larvae_Ahlstrom.pdf | journal = CalCOFI Reports | volume = 5 | pages = 33–42 | access-date = 17 March 2012 | archive-date = 3 August 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190803033010/http://www.calcofi.org/publications/calcofireports/v05/Vol_05_Eggs___Larvae_Ahlstrom.pdf }}
* {{cite journal | last1 = Bertrand | first1 = A | last2 = Barbieri | first2 = MA | last3 = Gerlotto | first3 = F | last4 = Leiva | first4 = F | last5 = Cordova | first5 = J | year = 2006 | title = Determinism and plasticity of fish schooling behaviour as exemplified by the South Pacific jack mackerel ''Trachurus murphyi'' | url = https://www.int-res.com/articles/meps2006/311/m311p145.pdf | journal = Marine Ecology Progress Series | volume = 311 | pages = 145–156 | doi = 10.3354/meps311145 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190427041047/https://www.int-res.com/articles/meps2006/311/m311p145.pdf | archive-date = 2019-04-27 | url-status = live | bibcode = 2006MEPS..311..145B | doi-access = free }}
* Bigelow HB and Schroeder WC (1953) [http://www.gma.org/fogm/Scomber_scombrus.htm Fishes of the Gulf of Maine: Mackerel] ''Fisheries Bulletin'', Volume 53, Number 74, [[United States Fish and Wildlife Service]].
* Burton M and Burton R (2002) [https://books.google.com/books?id=wWQw11SLvVwC&dq=Mackerel&pg=PA1517 ''International Wildlife Encyclopedia''] Marshall Cavendish, pp.&nbsp;1517–1518. {{ISBN|978-0-7614-7266-7}}.
* {{cite journal | last1 = Hays | first1 = GC | year = 1996 | title = Large-scale patterns of diel vertical migration in the North Atlantic | url = http://www.swansea.ac.uk/bs/turtle/reprints/hays_dsr1996.pdf | journal = Deep-Sea Research Part I | volume = 43 | issue = 10 | pages = 1601–1615 | doi = 10.1016/s0967-0637(96)00078-7 | bibcode = 1996DSRI...43.1601H | author1-link = Graeme Hays | access-date = 8 March 2012 | archive-date = 27 November 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201127170319/https://www.swansea.ac.uk/bs/turtle/reprints/hays_dsr1996.pdf }}
* Keay JN (2001) [http://www.fao.org/wairdocs/tan/x5938e/x5938e00.htm#Contents Handling and processing mackerel] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181211010135/http://www.fao.org/wairdocs/tan/x5938e/x5938e00.htm#Contents |date=11 December 2018 }} Torry advisory note 66.
* {{cite journal | last1 = Masuda | first1 = R | last2 = Shoji | first2 = J | last3 = Nakatama Sand | first3 = Tanaka T | year = 2003 | title = Development of schooling behavior in Spanish mackerel ''Scomberomorus niphonius'' during early ontogeny | url = http://www.shinnakayama.com/publications/0671.pdf | journal = Fisheries Science | volume = 69 | issue = 4 | pages = 772–776 | doi = 10.1046/j.1444-2906.2003.00685.x | bibcode = 2003FisSc..69..772M | access-date = 4 March 2012 | archive-date = 9 August 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170809033305/http://www.shinnakayama.com/publications/0671.pdf }}
* {{cite journal | last1 = Nakayama | first1 = S | last2 = Masuda | first2 = R | last3 = Tanaka | first3 = M | year = 2007 | title = ''Onsets of schooling behavior and social transmission in chub mackerel ''Scomber japonicus | url = http://www.shinnakayama.com/publications/0099.pdf | journal = Behav Ecol Sociobiol | volume = 61 | issue = 9 | pages = 1383–1390 | doi = 10.1007/s00265-007-0368-4 | bibcode = 2007BEcoS..61.1383N | s2cid = 56667 | access-date = 4 March 2012 | archive-date = 9 August 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170809033307/http://www.shinnakayama.com/publications/0099.pdf }}
* {{cite journal | last1 = Nakayama | first1 = A | last2 = Masuda | first2 = R | last3 = Shoji | first3 = J | last4 = Takeuchi | first4 = T | last5 = Tanaka | first5 = M | year = 2003 | title = Effect of prey items on the development of schooling behavior in chub mackerel ''Scomber japonicus'' in the laboratory | url = http://www.shinnakayama.com/publications/0365.pdf | journal = Fisheries Science | volume = 69 | issue = 4 | pages = 670–676 | doi = 10.1046/j.1444-2906.2003.00673.x | bibcode = 2003FisSc..69..670N | access-date = 4 March 2012 | archive-date = 9 August 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170809033302/http://www.shinnakayama.com/publications/0365.pdf }}
* {{cite journal | last1 = Nakayama | first1 = S | last2 = Masuda | first2 = R | last3 = Tanaka | first3 = M | year = 2007 | title = Onsets of schooling behavior and social transmission in chub mackerel ''Scomber japonicus'' | journal = Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology | volume = 61 | issue = 9 | pages = 1383–1390 | jstor = 27823518 | doi = 10.1007/s00265-007-0368-4 | bibcode = 2007BEcoS..61.1383N | s2cid = 56667 }}
* ''SPRFMO''(2009) [https://web.archive.org/web/20130227074709/http://www.southpacificrfmo.org/assets/7th-Meeting-May-2009-Lima/JM-Subgroup-VII/SP-07-SWG-JM-02-jackmackerel-speciesprofile-20090430.doc Information describing Chilean jack mackerel (Trachurus murphyi) fisheries relating to the South Pacific Regional Fishery Management Organisation]  Working draft.
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{wiktionary|mackerel}}
* [http://www.glaucus.org.uk/mackerel.htm Atlantic Mackerel] ''British Marine Life Study Society''. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
* [http://www.healthaliciousness.com/nutritionfacts/nutrition-comparison.php?o=15047&t=15052&h=15200&s=100&e=100&r=100 Mackerel nutrition facts]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090710033523/http://www.anglingcentre.net/macktext.html Fishing for mackerel]
* {{Cite NIE|wstitle=Mackerel|short=x}}

{{mackerel|state=expanded}}
{{commercial fish topics}}

[[Category:Scombridae]]
[[Category:Mackerels| ]]
[[Category:Oily fish]]
[[Category:Commercial fish]]
[[Category:Fish common names]]