DISTRIBUTION MAP

DISTRIBUTION

Present in the North-east Atlantic ranging from the Norwegian Sea and Iceland to West Africa. Also present in the Mediterranean and Black Seas.

ECOLOGY

Pelagic-neritic species that congregate in large schools. It is most often found in cold-temperate shelf areas, in the depth range 0-1000 m. They feed on zooplankton and small fish.

FISHERIES

Mostly landed using purse-seiners and mid-water trawls, but also using hand line and gill nets, and beach seines.

DID YOU KNOW

Mackerel lack swim bladders and must swim constantly to avoid sinking. Fast and agile swimmers able to streamline themselves by retracting their fins into grooves on their body.