Mackerel, << MAK uhr uhl or MAK ruhl, >> is the name of a number of valuable food fish that live in coastal areas of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. Mackerels have long, tapered bodies and forked tails. They swim in schools and are constantly on the move. Four common species of mackerel are the Atlantic, chub, king, and Spanish.
The Atlantic mackerel, also called the common mackerel, lives in temperate parts of the North Atlantic Ocean. On the North American side of the Atlantic, this fish is found from North Carolina to Newfoundland. On the European side, it ranges from the Mediterranean Sea to Norway. Most Atlantic mackerel measure from 10 to 18 inches (25 to 46 centimeters) long. The fish spawn (reproduce) in the spring and summer near shore. Females can produce up to 200,000 eggs in a season.
The king and Spanish mackerels live mostly in tropical parts of the Atlantic. The king mackerel is found from Cape Cod to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and the Spanish mackerel ranges from Cape Cod to the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. Both species inhabit waters north of Florida only during the summer. They eat large quantities of small fish and smaller amounts of shrimp and squid. The largest king mackerels grow more than 51/2 feet (170 centimeters) long. Spanish mackerels can grow more than 21/2 feet (76 centimeters) long.
The chub mackerel, also called the Pacific mackerel, has a wide geographic distribution. Along the Pacific Coast of North America, chub mackerels range from southeastern Alaska to Baja California. Along the Atlantic Coast, they are found from Cape Cod to Cuba. Chub mackerels that live in the Atlantic have spots or wavy broken lines on their bellies. Chub mackerels grow to about 20 inches (51 centimeters) long.
