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Seafood Watch - Seafood Guide

King Mackerel

SEAFOOD	RATING	MARKET NAMES	WHERE CAUGHT	HOW CAUGHT
Atlantic Mackerel		Boston Mackerel, Caballa, Common Mackerel, Saba	U.S.	Midwater and Bottom Trawl
Atlantic Mackerel		Boston Mackerel, Caballa, Common Mackerel, Saba	Canada	Purse Seine
Atlantic Mackerel		Boston Mackerel, Caballa, Common Mackerel, Saba	U.S.	Purse Seine
King Mackerel		Cavalla, Kingfish, Hog	U.S. Atlantic, U.S. Gulf of Mexico	Wild-caught
Spanish Mackerel		Sierra, Spaniard, Sawara	U.S. Atlantic, U.S. Gulf of Mexico	Wild-caught

Spanish and King Mackerel

Mackerel matures fairly quickly and produces high numbers of offspring, making it resilient to fishing pressure.

Consumer Note

When used for sushi or sashimi, Spanish mackerel

iscommonly sold as sawara. It is also incorrectly sold as aji, which is the true sushi name for horse mackerel.

Health Alert

Environmental Defense Fund has issued a consumption advisory for Spanish and king mackerel due to elevated levels of mercury.

Summary

In the southeast U.S., mackerel is a popular catch in recreational and commercial fisheries. King mackerel is caught predominately using hook-and-line methods in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico and can be considered a "Best Choice." Spanish mackerel is caught using gillnets, with low habitat impacts and is also a "Best Choice."

Juvenile king and Spanish mackerel are frequently caught as bycatch

in the Gulf of Mexico shrimp trawl

fisheries; in fact, the total accidental catch of mackerel in the shrimp fishery often surpasses that in the fishery for mackerel.

However, U.S. Spanish and king mackerel fisheries are well managed, and populations are abundant and healthy, resulting in a "Best Choice" recommendation.

Scientific Reports About Our Ratings

King and Spanish Mackerel Seafood Watch Report

Hook and Lining Fact Card

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