Intrinsic rate of increase is unknown. Atlantic Mackerel mature by age 3, with 50% of the population maturing by age 2. Maximum age observed is 17 years (MAFMC 2003).

Atlantic Mackerel are found in the western Atlantic Cape Lookout, NC. to the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the east coast of Newfoundland. They also occur in the eastern Atlantic, including the Baltic, Mediterranean, and Black Seas (DFO 2002; FAO 11/19/2004).

Atlantic Mackerel in European waters are depleted or harvested outside of safe biological limits (NEAFC 2003). In U.S. waters, however, the Atlantic Mackerel population currently at a high level of abundance, having rebounded from being overfished in the 1970s. When last assessed in 2000, managers estimated Atlantic Mackerel abundance to be 2.1 million metric tons (mt), which is more than twice the Bmsy of 890,000 mt (MAFMC 2003; NEFSC 2000). Data gathered by the Northeast Fisheries Science Center's annual trawl survey indicate that Atlantic Mackerel continue to be at a high level of abundance in U.S. waters (Seagraves, pers. comm., 11/4/04).

This species is not currently overfished (MAFMC 2003).

The Atlantic Mackerel population has increased since the 1970s (MAFMC 2003). Managers have not conducted a population assessment, however, since 2000 (NEFSC 2000). We, therefore, chose not to award points until a new assessment of Atlantic Mackerel is conducted.

Until a new assessment is released, we cannot determine whether the age, size, or sex distribution of the Atlantic Mackerel population in U.S. waters is functionally normal.

Mid-water and bottom otter trawls land Atlantic Mackerel. Atlantic Mackerel are targeted by mid-water trawl fisheries and captured incidentally in benthic trawl fisheries for groundfish. In 2002, mid-water trawls landed 83% and bottom otter trawls landed 15% of the Atlantic Mackerel catch (MAFMC 2003). We awarded 3.00 points here because only mid-water trawling operations target Atlantic Mackerel, and benthic trawls land a relatively small proportion of the catch.

Designated essential fish habitat (EFH) areas of Atlantic Mackerel are not protected by management. Since the EFH is largely pelagic, however, other fisheries do not generally affect it (Seagraves, pers. comm., 11/4/2004). We chose not to subtract points because Atlantic Mackerel's EFH is not threatened.

There is no reason to suspect that the pelagic habitat of Atlantic Mackerel is not robust, since the population is at a high level of abundance.

Benthic trawling operations that land Atlantic Mackerel occur during the late fall and winter, when the fish are using sand- and mud-bottom habitats. There is no benthic trawling over the rocky habitats inhabited by Atlantic Mackerel during the spring and summer.

Atlantic Mackerel were overfished in the 1970s by extensive foreign fishing in U.S. waters. Managers greatly reduced the level of fishing by foreign vessels, and landings decreased from an average of 385,000 metric tons (mt) per year to less than 43,000 mt. As a result, the Atlantic Mackerel population in U.S. waters has recovered from being overfished and is currently at a high level of abundance (MAFMC 2003).

Managers are encouraging the growth of the Atlantic Mackerel fishery, because they consider it to be under-exploited in a climate of increasing global demand for mackerel. In preparation for the fishery's expansion, managers are considering ways to prevent overcapitalization of the fishery (MAFMC 2003).

Managers conducted the most recent assessment of the Atlantic Mackerel population in 2000 (NEFSC 2000). They annually monitor population status using trawl survey biomass indices and collect landings data.

Lack of detailed age information has prevented managers from estimating absolute population size, however. A new assessment is due next year, and managers hope it will include the first analytical age-based assessment of Atlantic Mackerel (Seagraves, pers. comm., 11/4/2004).

Predation mortality is the most important component of natural mortality of Atlantic Mackerel. Other finfish, squid, Pilot Whales, Common Dolphins, Harbor Seals, porpoises, Tiger Shark, Blue Shark, and seabirds target Atlantic Mackerel as prey (MAFMC 2003). Fishery managers set catch limits based on calculations that include consideration of natural mortality due to predation. There is no indication that managers are actively addressing the ecosystem impacts of the Atlantic Mackerel fishery, however. (MAFMC 2003).

This species is not overfished (MAFMC 2003), and, therefore, a recovery plan is not needed.

Managers currently classify the Atlantic Mackerel fishery as under-exploited, and their models suggest that the population could withstand greater fishing pressure. The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council is seeking to develop the fishery further, however, it is exploring the use of a controlled access plan to prevent future overcapitalization in the fishery (MAFMC 2003).

The Atlantic Mackerel fishery is currently listed as a Category I fishery under the Marine Mammal Protection Act's List of Fisheries for 2004, which indicates that it has the highest level of impacts on marine mammals (i.e. mortalities and injuries exceed 50% of the Potential Biological Removal of the species). Atlantic Mackerel fisheries cause mortality and injury to White-sided Dolphins and Common Dolphins, which are protected by the Marine Mammals Protection Act.

From 1977-1991, observers reported 110 Common Dolphin and 42 White-sided Dolphin mortalities in the foreign Atlantic Mackerel fishery operating in the U.S. EEZ (NMFS 2003). Observer coverage was high (e.g. from 1983-1991, coverage was 58-100%) on the foreign vessels, and marine mammal bycatch estimates were, therefore, based on a large body of data. When foreign operations were excluded from the fishery in 1991, observer coverage fell to low levels, less than 1% in some years (NMFS 2003). As a result, current estimates of marine mammal mortality and injury in the Atlantic Mackerel fishery may be inaccurate. The Category I ranking is based upon one mortality of each species in 1997 fishery that was extrapolated to an estimated total of 161 mortalities of each dolphin that year in the Atlantic Mackerel fishery (NMFS 2003).

Clearly, greater observer coverage is needed to accurately assess and address marine mammal bycatch in this fishery.

During 1977-1991, 391 Pilot Whale mortalities were attributed to the Atlantic Mackerel foreign fleet fishery in U.S. waters (MAFMC 2003). Since the exclusion of foreign vessels from the fishery, however, there have been no Pilot Whale mortalities attributed to it (NMFS 2003).

We chose to award one point here because of the Category I classification of the fishery, but we caution that this ranking may change when new estimates based on increased observer coverage in the Atlantic Mackerel are released.

Managers have classified the Common Dolphin population as a strategic population, because the 1996-2000 average annual mortality in all fisheries exceeded Potential Biological Removal (PBR). The estimated mortality of Common Dolphins in the Atlantic Mackerel fishery is greater than 10% of the calculated PBR, which is 227 in the North Atlantic (NFMS 2003).

The Marine Mammal Protection Act mandates that Category I fisheries are required to immediately reduce bycatch of marine mammals. Despite this law, a NMFS Take Reduction Team to reduce bycatch of Common Dolphins and Pilot Whales in the Atlantic Squid, Mackerel, and Butterfish fisheries is not scheduled to convene until the summer of 2006 (MAFMC 2003).

Atlantic Mackerel is captured incidentally and landed in benthic trawl fisheries that target other species. Managers account for these landings when setting catch limits (MAFMC 2003).

Mid-water trawl fisheries for Atlantic Mackerel also capture River Herring, Dogfish, Silver Hake, Longfin and Shortfin Squid, and Butterfish. The amount of bycatch is small, however, and causes little concern.