Mackerel

General Information

North Sea

Baltic Sea

Clyde Marine Region

Adriatic Sea

Eastern Mediterranean Sea

Mackerel

Layer Info
Category	Ecology
Sub-category	Fish

Description

Scientific name: Scomber scombrus

Habitat: Pelagic
Main role: Predator
Trophic level: 3,9

IUCN Red List Assessment: Least Concern

Diet: Mackerel are carnivorous and primarily feed on small fish, such as herring, and benthic organisms, worms and other invertebrates.

Threats: Mackerel are caught by a directed fishery for human consumption, which tends to target bigger fish, potentially causing smaller, less marketable fish to be discarded. They are highly migratory and can be found in both warm and cold waters worldwide.

The most common species of Mackerel in the North Sea is the Atlantic Mackerel (Scomber scombrus). This type of Mackerel has streamlined, torpedo-shaped bodies that are built for swift swimming, as well as blue-green back with vertical stripes along their sides. Both of these characteristics help them camouflage when in the water, as they primarily inhabitant open oceans rather than ocean floors.

The Mackerel in the North Sea mainly feeds on Benthic Invertebrates and Sandeel. Mackerel is prey to Windfarm avoiding seabirds, Demersal Fish, Cod, and Cetaceans, such as types of dolphins or whales. Mackerel avoid Surface Disturbance and Noise and get caught primarily through Industrial & Pelagic Trawl.

Types

• Very Low Density
• Low Density
• Medium Density
• High Density
• Very High Density

Metadata

Data Source

Mackerel is a month-by-month, computer generated data layer following calculations made by the ecosystem simulation (EwE). For more information on how Ecopath-with-Ecosim (EwE) works, please visit our Wiki page or visit the official EwE website at https://ecopath.org.

For detailed information on how the simulation works for the North Sea Edition, we recommend further exploring our research publication called "Combining ecosystem modeling with serious gaming in support of transboundary maritime spatial planning".

Not applicable. This layer is not available in the MSP Challenge Baltic Sea Edition.

The most common species of Mackerel in the Clyde Marine Region is the Atlantic Mackerel (Scomber scombrus). This type of Mackerel has streamlined, torpedo-shaped bodies that are built for swift swimming, as well as blue-green back with vertical stripes along their sides. Both of these characteristics help them camouflage when in the water, as they primarily inhabitant open oceans rather than ocean floors.

The Mackerel in the Clyde Marine Region is prey to both Birds, Sharks and Whitting. The Mackerel avoid Noisy areas and are caught through Seine Catch fishing.

Types

• Extremely Low
• Low
• Medium
• High
• Extra High

Metadata

Data Source

Cod is a month-by-month, computer generated data layer following calculations made by the ecosystem simulation (EwE). For more information on how Ecopath-with-Ecosim (EwE) works, please visit our Wiki page or visit the official EwE website at https://ecopath.org.

For detailed information on how the simulation works for the Clyde Marine Region Edition, we recommend further exploring our research publication called "Combining ecosystem modeling with serious gaming in support of transboundary maritime spatial planning".

Not applicable. This layer is not available in the MSP Challenge Adriatic Sea Edition.

Not applicable. This layer is not available in the MSP Challenge Eastern Mediterranean Sea Edition.