Mackerel Family

Atlantic Mackerel

This North Atlantic mackerel is most commonly found off the European coast and in Japanese sushi bars - large quantities are exported to Japan from Norway. There are also strong populations off the U.S. Atlantic coast and it is also found in the Mediterranean, the Black Sea and off the coast of Morocco. This fish can grow to 23-1/2 inches, but the photo specimen was 15 inches long and weighed 1-1/4 pounds before being cleaned, stuffed and baked. This fish is kosher, though I'm not certain how.   Details and Cooking

Chub Mackerel

These three fish are, for all practical purposes, the same fish, occupying tropical to subarctic waters worldwide. S. japonicus and S. australasicus share the Indo-Pacific region and S. colias occupies the North and South Atlantic. S. japonicus, the most commercial of the three, grows to 25 inches and over 6 pounds, but the photo specimen is 14-1/4 inches and 1 pound. Held in disrespect in North America for being strong flavored and oily, this fish is highly regarded in Japan (though Atlantic Mackerel (S. scombrus) is preferred). Sold fresh, frozen, salted, smoked and canned, these fish are not considered endangered. They are said to have a few scales, enough to be kosher, but I have yet to find any.   Details and Cooking

Indian Mackerel

A highly commercial Indo-West Pacific mackerel found from the Red Sea and Madagascar to Samoa, these fish can grow to over 13 inches but the photo specimen was 9 inches long and weighed 5-1/4 ounces. This fish is not considered threatened and is sold fresh, frozen, canned, dried-salted, smoked and made into fish sauce. It has just enough scales to be kosher.   Details and Cooking

Island Mackerel

This Indo West Pacific fish is native from India to as far east as Fiji and as far north as Taiwan. It can grow to nearly 8 inches long and 1-1/2 pounds, but is usually smaller. Nonetheless, it supports a fishery reported to be over 800,000 tonnes. I've not seen them in Southern California, but they possibly exist here as one of small Philippine dried fish (daing) under some other name. Philippine fish names are chaotic. IUCN Red List DD (Data Deficient).   Photo by Rodalpho B Reyes distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial v3.0 unported..

Japanese Mackerel

Short Mackerel

This fish is native to the seas of Southeast Asia as far as Fiji, but doesn't venture much into the Indian Ocean. It can grow to nearly 13 inches long, but is more commonly about 8 inches. This fish is very important in the cuisines of Thailand, the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries.   Note:   I have seen fish in Philippine markets in Los Angeles labeled "Hasa-hasa" that was actually Bigeye Scad. As served in Thailand, Short Mackerel looks a little strange, because the backbone is broken just behind the head, which is bent down so the fish fits in the bamboo steamers used to cook it in salt brine. This fish is interchangeable with Indian Mackerel. IUCN Red List DD (Data Deficient), but seriously depleted in the Gulf of Thailand due to overfishing.   Details and Cooking.   Photo by Sahat Ratmuangkhwang distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike v3.0 unported..

Smoked Mackerel

Mackerel is an oily fish with robust flavor which makes it an excellent candidate for smoking. Atlantic mackerel is preferred but Chub Mackerel is also used. For details see   Cold Smoked Fish

Indo-Pacific King Mackerel / Seerfish / Surmai

[Spotted Seer Fish, Surmai (India); Scomberomorus guttatus   |   very similar and also called Surmai: Streaked Seerfish; Scomberomorus lineolatus   |   also Narrow-barred Spanish Mackerel; Scomberomorus commerson]

This prized eating mackerel is found in the Indo-West Pacific and Persian Gulf. Its range extends north to the southern tip of Japan and south through the Java Sea. It can grow to 30 inches but is commonly 21 inches. It is distinguished by round dots about 1/4 inch diameter on the sides above the centerline. Red List status NE (Not Evaluated).   Details and Cooking   Photo by Hamid Badar Osmany distributed equivalent to license Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike v3.0 unported. attribution required.

The Streaked Seerfish (dashes instead of spots) grows up to 37 inches but has a moderately narrower range. The Narrow-barred Spanish Mackerel (vertical bars all along the sides) grows a lot larger, to 94 inches, and has the same range as the Indo-Pacific, but is less common through most of the range.

Atlantic King Mackerel

Largest of the fish called mackerel, the king mackerel can weigh nearly 100 pounds, measure up to 6 feet long and live for over 20 years. It is found along the Atlantic coast of the Americas from the U.S. / Canada boarder almost to Argentina. Sports fishing brings in well over twice the catch of commercial fishing. The photo specimen weighed about 13 pounds.   Details and Cooking.   Photo by Stephen Ewen distributed under license license Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike v3.0 Unported..

Pacific Sierra

This prized eating mackerel is found along the East Central Pacific from Southern California to the northern tip of Chile. It can grow to 39 inches and 18 pounds but the one in the photo was 20-1/2 inches long and weighed 1 pound 11-3/4 ounces. Market size around here is between 15 and 22 inches. This fish has rows of gold dots about 1/4 inch diameter, but they are hard to see in the photo. Red List status LC (Least Concern).   Details and Cooking

Spotted Mackerel

These two West Pacific fish are often confused and can be considered interchangeable. The Japanese is found along the coasts of Japan down to Hong Kong, and is the most important mackerel in the Japanese market. The Australian is found all around Australia, but mostly in the north, around the southern islands of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. The Australian can grow to 41 inches and 24 pounds, while the Japanese can grow to 39 inches and 15 pounds. The photo specimen was 9 inches and 2-3/4 ounces, purchased from an Asian market in Los Angeles for 2015 US $1.99 / pound. The Australian is IUCN Red Listed as NT (Near Threatened), while the Japanese is Red Listed as DD (Data Deficient).   Details and Cooking

Yellowtail Horse Mackerel

Greenback Horse Mackerel

These two very similar fish, found around New Zealand and southern Australia are actually members of the Jacks, Amberjacks, Trevally, etc. family. The far more numerous Yellowtail is often confused with the related Yellowtail Scad. It is more slender, the fins are slightly different, and the row of scutes turns more steeply upward. For prep and cooking, see our Yellowtail Scad page.   Photo by Clinton Duffy, non-commercial, attribution required.

Mackerel Pike

Not actually a Mackerel, this highly elongated fish is related to Flying Fish and Needlefish. It often skims along the surface of the water, propelled by its submerged tail. It is found in the North Pacific, ranging from Korea to Alaska and as far south as the tip of Baja, Mexico. This fish can grow to 15 inches but the photo specimen was 12-1/2 inches long and weighed 6 ounces. Mackerel Pike is kosher. It is a highly commercial catch, but with a high reproductive rate is not considered threatened. IUCN Red Listed NE (Not Evaluated).   Details and Cooking