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Scomber scombrus  Linnaeus, 1758

Atlantic mackerel
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Scomber scombrus
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country information

Common names: Makrelur
Occurrence:
Salinity:
Abundance: | Ref:
Importance: | Ref:
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: no uses
Comments:
National Checklist:
Country Information:
National Fisheries Authority:
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
National Database:

Classification / Names

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Perciformes (Perch-likes) > Scombridae (Mackerels, tunas, bonitos) > Scombrinae
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL

Main reference

Size / Weight / Age

Max length : 60.0 cm FL male/unsexed; (Ref. 35388); common length : 30.0 cm FL male/unsexed; (Ref. 168); max. published weight: 3.4 kg (Ref. 9988); max. reported age: 17 years (Ref. 207)

Length at first maturity
Lm 28.7, range 34 - ? cm

Environment

Marine; brackish; pelagic-neritic; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 0 - 1000 m (Ref. 54254), usually 0 - 200 m (Ref. 54254)

Climate / Range

Temperate, preferred 10°C (Ref. 107945); 70°N - 25°N, 77°W - 42°E

Distribution

North Atlantic: including the Mediterranean.
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Short description

Dorsal spines (total): 8 - 14; Dorsal soft rays (total): 113; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 12 - 13; Vertebrae: 31. This species has the following characters: no well developed corselet; interpelvic process small and single; anal fin spine conspicuous, joined to the fin by a membrane but clearly independent of it; anal fin origin opposite that of second dorsal fin; no swim bladder; first haemal spine anterior to first interneural process; 21-28 interneural bones under first dorsal fin; markings on back oblique to near vertical, with relatively little undulating; belly unmarked (Ref. 168).

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Abundant in cold and temperate shelf areas, forms large schools near the surface. They overwinter in deeper waters but move closer to shore in spring when water temperatures range between 11° and 14°C. Mainly diurnal, it feeds on zooplankton and small fish. Eggs and larvae are pelagic (Ref. 6769). Batch spawner (Ref. 51846). The species is traded fresh, frozen, smoked and canned. Eaten fried, broiled and baked (Ref. 9988). Two stocks in north-east Atlantic: North Sea (east) and British Isles (west). North Sea stock decreased dramatically in the 1960's because of direct overfishing. Recruitment has been poor and unstable. After spawning, the adult feed very actively moving around in small shoals (Ref. 35388).

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)

Threat to humans

  Harmless



Human uses

Fisheries: highly commercial; gamefish: yes

Tools

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Internet sources

Estimates of some properties based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805)
PD50 = 0.5625 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Trophic Level (Ref. 69278)
3.6   ±0.2 se; Based on diet studies.

Resilience (Ref. 69278)
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (rm=0.33-0.56; K=0.23-0.27; tm=2-3; tmax=17; Fec=200,000)

Vulnerability (Ref. 59153)
Moderate vulnerability (44 of 100)
Price category (Ref. 80766)
Medium