Fishing of mackerel

Mackerel are small members of the tuna family, and are great fish on a fly rod. Because most mackerel have small mouths and teeth, they prefer smaller baitfish, which makes them the perfect fly rod fish.

Mackerel may be taken in pound traps or with gill nets, but by far the greatest quantities are taken with purse seines.

The principle of purse seining is to surround fish shoals by large net that can be closed so that the fish cannot escape. When the net is hauled back, the fish will become concentrated in a bag ready for brailing or pumping onboard.

If the boat is to remand out of port after the fish caught they are held in ice in the round, uneviscerated state.
Fishing of mackerel

Geographical distribution of mackerel

Atlantic mackerel are primarily found from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to Cape Hatteras in America, and from Norway to Spain in the Eastern Atlantic.

The king mackerel is found in coastal waters from the Carolinas to Brazil.

Frigate mackerel are cosmopolitan in warm waters, although there are few documented occurrences in the Atlantic Ocean. They are subject to period of abundance and scarcity in particular areas.

Another popular species that is sometimes found as far as north as New England is the Spanish mackerel. Spanish mackerel range from Maine to Brazil in the Western Atlantic but are mostly caught in waters off the Carolinas and southward of these waters.

In the eastern Pacific, Pacific jack mackerel range from southeastern Baja California, extending into the Gulf of California, Mexico. They are also reported from Acapulco, Mexico and the Galapagos Islands.
Geographical distribution of mackerel 

Mackerel fish during ancient times

Scomberomorus, an ancient name for mackerel fish. The full name is Scomberomorus commerson.

The name mackerel given by the French, German and Dutch was well as British, is derived from the Latin word macula, spot; that is the spotted or streaked fish.

Hence the term ‘mackerel-sky’ is also applied to a well known formation of the clouds.

The mackerel when alive, from the elegance of its shape and the brilliancy of it color, is one of the most beautiful fish.

Historically the mackerel was a prime curing fish because of its oily meat and smaller size.

Archeological evidence from Roman suggests that mackerel were widely consumed; it was from the south coast of Spain, transported in ‘amphorae’, common on the first century AD, less frequent in later century.

It is possible that the ocean going peoples of the Bible were familiar with mackerel. Mackerel remains have been discovered in Stone Age archeological sites, and the ancient Romans prized a certain seasoning, ‘garum’, sometimes made from decomposing mackerel.

In Roman times it was disregarded, the mackerel sold by fishmongers wrapped up in paper fit for no other use.

From it entails, however, was made the famous sauce of antiquity, named in Pliny’s time the ‘garum sociorum’ or allies sauce, in complement to the Spaniards then in alliance with Rome.

Garum used in coking or as condiment at table; greatly demand by gourmets at Rome.
Mackerel fish during ancient times