This species is a coastal pelagic species, and to a lesser extent epipelagic to mesopelagic over the continental slope (Collette and Nauen 1983). Schooling by size is well developed and initiates at approximately 3 cm (Collette and Nauen 1983). It may also form schools with Sarda species, bonitos, jacks, and clupeids (Collette 1995).

This species feeds on small pelagic fishes such as anchovy, pilchard, sardinella, sprat, silversides, and also pelagic invertebrates. In Mauritania, it is reported to stay near the bottom during the day and goes up to the open water at night (Maigret and Ly 1986). It feeds on copepods and other crustaceans, fishes and squids (Collette and Nauen 1983).

This species may live to 13 years (Carvalho 2002), and has a length at 50% maturity of approximately 18 cm corresponding to an age of about two years (Hattour 2000).

ACCCGCTGATTTTTCTCAACAAACCATAAAGACATCGGCACCCTCTACCTAGTATTCGGTGCATGAGCTGGAATAGTTGGCACGGCCTTA---AGCTTGCTTATCCGAGCTGAACTAAGTCAACCAGGGTCCCTTCTCGGCGAC---GACCAAATCTACAACGTAATTGTTACGGCTCACGCCTTCGTTATAATCTTCTTTTTAGTAATGCCAGTTATGATTGGAGGGTTCGGAAACTGACTGATCCCCCTAATG---ATCGGAGCCCCCGACATGGCATTTCCCCGAATAAATAACATAAGCTTCTGACTTCTGCCCCCATCTCTCCTGCTGCTCCTGTCTTCTTCGGCAGTTGAAGCCGGTGCTGGAACTGGCTGAACAGTTTATCCTCCCCTCGCTGGGAACCTGGCACACGCCGGGGCATCAGTTGATTTA---ACCATCTTCTCACTCCACCTAGCAGGTGTTTCCTCAATCCTTGGGGCCATTAACTTCATCACAACAATCATTAACATAAAACCTGCAGGTGTATCCCAATACCAAACCCCTCTGTTCGTCTGAGCAGTCCTAATTACAGCTGTCCTTCTCCTTCTATCTCTACCAGTTCTTGCTGCC---GGCATTACAATGCTCCTAACAGACCGAAATCTAAATACTACCTTCTTCGACCCTGGGGGAGGGGGAGACCCCATTCTTTACCAACACCTCTTCTGATTCTTCGGCCACCCCGAAGTCTACATTCTTATTCTTCCAGGATTCGGAATAATCTCCCATATCGTTGCCTATTACGCCGGTAAAAAA---GAACCCTTCGGCTACATGGGTATGGTATGAGCCATGATGGCCATCGGCCTACTAGGCTTTATTGTATGAGCCCATCACATGTTTACAGTCGGAATAGACGTAGACACACGAGCGTATTTCACATCCGCAACTATAATCATCGCAATTCCAACGGGCGTAAAAGTCTTTAGCTGACTT---GCAACTCTCCACGGAG
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Red List Category

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This species is common throughout the Mediterranean and is abundant particularly in the southern part.

Worldwide reported landings for this species show steadily increasing catches from 1950 to mid-1980s where catches peaked at nearly 40,000 mt. Since then, there are wide fluctuations with a general decreasing trend but recent years show another peak around 23,000 mt (FAO 2009). One problem with these statistics is that many countries are not reporting their catches.

Since 1991, total Chub Mackerel catch over the Atlantic has shown an increasing trend, reaching a maximum of more than 262,000 t in 2008. To the south of Cape Blanc where the European fleet operates, total Chub Mackerel catch increased over the period 1990–1996, reaching around 100,000 t. It then decreased to reach the low level of around 2,000 t in 1999. Catch then progressively increased until 2003 when a record of 133,000 t was recorded. Since then catches have heavily declined with 38,000 t recorded in 2005 and 33,000 t in 2006, reaching around 80,000 t and 60,000 t in 2007 and 2008, respectively. Assessments were carried out by applying a Schaefer dynamic surplus production model and ICA. Results showed the stocks to be Fully Exploited (STECF 2009).

Since 2003 there has been at least a 50% decline in catches based on the Fully Exploited status in the eastern Atlantic (STECF 2009), although there is no information on current effort. In Argentina this used to be an important commercial species, however, this fishery no longer exists.

In the Mediterranean, this is a common and locally abundant species that has fairly high, fluctuating catches. There has been a steady decline in landings of this species since the 1980s which is confirmed by anecdotal evidence from fishery experts. However, within the last 10 years (generation length of three years) the fluctuations have been inconclusive in terms of any trend. Current exploitation levels are intense with technological creeping (advances) and because of the steady decline over the past 20 years this species is regionally considered Near Threatened based on population declines suspected to be approaching 30% based on A2d. Recent decreases in population trends may be parallel with recent increases in Scomber scombrus.

Unknown

This species is caught mostly with purse seines, often together with sardines, and sometimes using light trolling lines, gill nets, traps, beach seines and midwater trawls. In the Mediterranean the technology used to catch this species is becoming more sophisticated.

There is a minimum size limit of 18 cm for all Scomber species in the European Union and Turkey. In the Mediterranean, a targeted management plan for this species is needed to reverse long term declining trends. Better data on fishing and fishing effort will help to further assess this species in the future.