grams
average weight
Lives in schools near the surface of the ocean
types in Canada
years
sustainable age
History
Holy you-know-what, mackerel has a long history! Atlantic mackerel has been fished for centuries both commercially and recreationally. Part of the tuna family, this small fish travels in schools close to the water’s surface, making it easy to catch. This also makes it ideal for the “purse seine” fishing method, which involves dragging a shallow net behind a school of mackerel to scoop them all up. Mackerel are still caught sustainably today using purse seines and handlines.
Best Sustainable Option
Mackerel from the Atlantic Ocean. It is available year-round, but best from August to October.
In Season
janfebmaraprmayjunjulaugsepoctnovdec
Landed
6,540 tonnes
brought onshore in Canada in 2014.
Did you know?
Mackerels don’t have a swim bladder. In order to keep breathing, they need to keep swimming, having to rely on the constant flow of water across the surface of their gills for ram ventilation.
Taste/texture
Oily meat with a stronger flavor.
What to look for
Fresh mackerel should have skin with sheen, shiny scales that cling to the skin and give it a velvety texture. The eyes should by bright and concave.
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How to cook
Meet Chef Spencer Watts
Chef Spencer Watts says cooking is the great love of his life. His father and grandfather were both cod fishermen, so a love of fishing and being on the water runs in his blood. Growing up on the lower mainland of British Columbia, Spencer was inspired by the vast array of fresh local ingredients available.
Spencer is a graduate of the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts. He quickly progressed through the ranks at The Westin Grand and C restaurant, while training with some of the best local talent in the culinary scene. In 2007 he opened his very own restaurant, ‘Spence on the Coast,’ in Sechelt. Later he started his own local cable cooking show called “Coast Cooking with Spence.”
Spencer is presently enjoying life in Vancouver while working on his cookbook and promoting sustainable seafood.
History
Holy you-know-what, mackerel has a long history! Atlantic mackerel has been fished for centuries both commercially and recreationally. Part of the tuna family, this small fish travels in schools close to the water’s surface, making it easy to catch. This also makes it ideal for the “purse seine” fishing method, which involves dragging a shallow net behind a school of mackerel to scoop them all up. Mackerel are still caught sustainably today using purse seines and handlines.
Best Sustainable Option
Mackerel from the Atlantic Ocean. It is available year-round, but best from August to October.
In Season
janfebmaraprmayjunjulaugsepoctnovdec
Landed
6,540 tonnes
brought onshore in Canada in 2014.
Did you know?
Mackerels don’t have a swim bladder. In order to keep breathing, they need to keep swimming, having to rely on the constant flow of water across the surface of their gills for ram ventilation.
Taste/texture
Oily meat with a stronger flavor.
What to look for
Fresh mackerel should have skin with sheen, shiny scales that cling to the skin and give it a velvety texture. The eyes should by bright and concave.