Mackerel belongs to the family of mackerel, ray-finned (Actinopterygii) and perch-like fish. Sometimes it is also called mackerel.
Mackerel is a type of fish from the genus Scomber. The length of her body can reach 60 cm, but the average individuals, as a rule, do not exceed 30 cm.
Mackerel has a spindle-shaped body, it is covered with small scales. The color of the fish is blue-green, pronounced in the back with black, slightly curved stripes. She has no swim bladder.
The main habitats of mackerel fish are the northern shores of the Atlantic Ocean, namely the eastern part from Iceland to the Canary Islands. the Baltic Sea up to the Gulf of Finland, as well as the North, Mediterranean, Marmara and Black Seas. On the western side of the ocean, fish can be found in waters from Labrador all the way to North Carolina. During summer movements, mackerel can often be observed in the Barents and White Seas. Its largest population is concentrated in the North Sea, from the English Channel to the southwestern part of Iceland.
All varieties of Mackerel are pelagic fish living in flocks. They are warm-hearted. The flock can reach speeds of up to 77 km / h. As a rule, schools of mackerel do not contain other types of fish. All members of the flock have approximately the same parameters. Comfortable temperature for the life of fish is in the range from +10 to +20C. That is why they often move in order to find the most favorable conditions for life.
All mackerel migrations are foraging in nature; zooplankton acts as food for them. Places for wintering are chosen on the slopes of the continental shelf at a depth of up to 250 m. In winter, the fish are not as mobile as in summer, and therefore they eat little. Spring is spawning time for the mackerel family. They spawn in shallow water. Mackerel of the Black Sea origin prefers to winter and breed in the waters of the Marmara Sea. And after that, the fish go to the Black Sea through the Bosphorus.
The most active time for the movement of shoals of mackerel is the period from April to June. It is at this time that flocks of mackerels can be observed in the upper layers of the water. Various fish predators (dolphins, tuna, seagulls) also accumulate there in order to hunt mackerel. But as soon as the water becomes colder, the reverse movement of fish into the waters of the Sea of Marmara begins to be observed. When the water temperature is below + 10C, only an insignificant part of the population remains to winter in the areas of the Turkish and Caucasian coasts. They reach sexual maturity at the age of 3-4 years. On average, one adult lays from 350 to 500 thousand eggs.
Mackerel is a tasty and healthy fish. Its meat is rich in vitamins and minerals. The life expectancy of this species of fish is about 18 years. The main purpose of mackerel can be considered its commercial use. Fish meat is very fatty and rich in vitamin B12. In the process of heat treatment, the fish can become dryish, but very tasty. The disadvantages of this type of fish include an increased level of mercury accumulation. That is why, the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decided to limit the consumption of mackerel by humans.
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