Jack Mackerel have a green/blue body with an olive green sheen, white below, and streamlined with long pectoral fins and obvious lateral line. Three Jack Mackerel species are found around New Zealand. Between species there are varieties in colour and number of scutes. All three species are managed under the same collective TACC.
Jack Mackerel Fishery
Jack Mackerel are trawled year-round along the coast.
New Zealand’s Jack Mackerel fishery is managed by strict quotas, which allow only a set amount of Jack Mackerel to be taken commercially each year. This Total Allowable Commercial Catch (TACC) was set at 60,547 metric tonnes for the 2009/10 fishing year.
Jack Mackerel Meat Quality
Jack Mackerel fillets are dark but lighten on cooking. They are oily and are high in Omega-3. Jack Mackerel is suitable for most cooking methods.
