Seafood
Mackerel, Atlantic Saba
Atlantic Mackerel are fast swimmers found throughout the Atlantic Ocean that mature within 3 years. In U.S. waters, Atlantic Mackerel have rebounded from being overfished in the 1970s and are at a high level of abundance. Europeans target separate populations of Atlantic Mackerel, and both fisheries primarily use mid-water trawls, but also bottom trawls. Bycatch of marine mammals continues to be a problem in this otherwise healthy fishery. Chef Barton Seaver describes Atlantic Mackerel this way: “It’s a flaky dark-fleshed fish with full flavor and lingering sweetness. Best cooked well done.”
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Mackerel, Chub
Chub Mackerel are found along both coasts of North America, but the fisheries in California and Mexico are most important commercially. Chub Mackerel school (swim in groups) at the surface of coastal waters, often with sardines and anchovy. Bycatch is usually low, because fishers set nets directly on schools. Sardines and anchovies caught in the process are sold. Impacts of fishing gear on habitat are also low, because the fishery uses pelagic (near to the surface of the water) seine nets that rarely contact the seafloor. Chub Mackerel are sold fresh and as fish meal, oil, and tuna bait. Chef Barton Seaver describes Chub Mackerel this way: “This is a flaky dark-fleshed fish with full flavor and lingering sweetness. Best cooked well done.”
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Mackerel, King
Overfished in the mid-1980s, King Mackerel have rebounded to a high level of abundance today. Conservative management measures now govern the hook-and-line and runaround-gillnet fisheries for King Mackerel. These surface fisheries have little bycatch compared to other fisheries and no adverse effects on habitat.
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Mackerel, Spanish Sawara
Spanish Mackerel inhabit coastal waters along the Eastern seaboard of the U.S. and have recovered from years of overfishing to achieve high abundance today. They are important to recreational as well as commercial fishers. The surface gears fishers use to catch Spanish Mackerel have little bycatch and no adverse effects on habitat. Chef Barton Seaver describes Spanish Mackerel this way: “This is a flaky gray-fleshed fish with full flavor and lingering sweetness. Best cooked well done.”
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Mackerel, Cero Saba
Cero Mackerel inhabit coastal waters from New England to Brazil, however they are primarily associated with reefs off South Florida and throughout the Caribbean. A small directed commercial fishery for Cero Mackerel – in fishery in which Cero are explicitly targeted - exists in U.S. waters, but most Cero Mackerel in the U.S. market are caught incidentally in other fisheries. Little is known about the status of Cero Mackerel in US waters or in the Caribbean, where catches are high. Chef Barton Seaver describes Cero Mackerel as a “flaky dark-fleshed fish with full flavor and lingering sweetness. Best cooked well done.”
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