Mackerel (Scomber scombrus, Makrell, Maquereau, Makrell)

Season: April to November
Size: Up to 66 cm, seldom longer than 40 cm

The fish
Mackerel is a pelagic fish that can swim at great speeds and which in summer and autumn moves in huge shoals along the coast of Norway and into Skagerrak, the North Sea and the southern parts of the Norwegian Sea. In Europe, the mackerel family is divided into two main stocks: one living to the west of the British Isles and the other living in the North Sea and Skagerrak. The mackerel fished in the North Sea, Skagerrak and the Norwegian Sea generally belong to the western stock of mackerel.

Fishery
Each year, between 140 and 160 000 tonnes of mackerel are landed in Norway, most of which is Atlantic mackerel that has migrated into the North Sea and Skagerrak for the summer. Towards the end of the year, the fully matured fish swim out of the North Sea and towards their spawning grounds to the west and southwest of Ireland, where they start spawning in March.
Most of the commercial fishing for mackerel is done in the summer months. The vessels used vary from boats that use nets and trolling lines along the coast to large, ocean-going seiners.

Fishing methods
Purse seines, pelagic trawlers, nets and trolling lines.

Use
Mackerel is sold fresh, frozen, salted, smoked and canned.

Nutritional value
In spring, mackerel has a low fat content (approx. 3%), whereas mackerel caught in the autumn may contain as much as 30% fat and thus also a large supply of omega-3 fatty acids. Mackerel is also an excellent source of vitamins D and B12