(DRAFT) - Taxonomy
Species mackerel, Spanish
Species Id TSNL010504
Date 27 AUG 96
TAXONOMY
NAME - mackerel, Spanish
OTHER COMMON NAMES - Spaniard, spotted cybium, bay mackerel, spotted mackerel and mackerel
ELEMENT CODE -
CATEGORY - Fish
PHYLUM AND SUBPHYLUM - ,
CLASS AND SUBCLASS - ,
ORDER AND SUBORDER - ,
FAMILY AND SUBFAMILY - Scombridae,
GENUS AND SUBGENUS - Scomberomorus,
SPECIES AND SSP - maculatus,
SCIENTIFIC NAME - Scomberomorus maculatus
AUTHORITY - Mitchill
TAXONOMY REFERENCES - 269
Taxonomy - 1 (DRAFT) - Status
Species mackerel, Spanish
Species Id TSNL010504
Date 27 AUG 96
STATUS
Coded Status
Commercial/industrial
Commercial/consumption
Sport Fish
REFERENCES FOR STATUS - 269
COMMENTS ON STATUS -
The Spanish mackerel is the potential base for an extensive commercial
fishery on the Texas Coast, but today it is caught only in small numbers
and the total annual production is probably far less than one per cent of
the available supply. Statistics on the commercial catch show that the
annual production for six years has fluctuated between 6,756 and 29,778
pounds with an average production of 18,372 pounds. Mackerel enter the bays
in the summer, but mostly they are caught in the Gulf near the passes and
88.8% of the catch is from the Gulf. The Annual Report of the Game, Fish
and Oyster Commission for 1941-1942 shows that the Aransas Pass region
produced 18,781 pounds of the 18,932 pounds for the whole coast during the
fiscal year. In most years the Spanish mackerel is not caught on the Texas
Coast from November to March, inclusive, but that the only month when it
was not taken at all was February. It is caught in greatest numbers in
August *269*.
The flesh of the Spanish mackerel is edible. It fished commercially in
Florida. Spanish mackerel is a popular sports fish *269.
Status - 1 (DRAFT) - Distribution
Species mackerel, Spanish
Species Id TSNL010504
Date 27 AUG 96
DISTRIBUTION
Distribution - 1 HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS
Habitat Associations - 1 (DRAFT) - Food Habits
Species mackerel, Spanish
Species Id TSNL010504
Date 27 AUG 96
FOOD HABITS
TROPHIC LEVEL -
CARNIVORE
REFERENCES FOR TROPHIC LEVEL - 269
LIFESTAGE FOOD FOOD PART
General Osteichthyes Not Specified
General Crustaceans Not Specified
General Malacostraca Not Specified
General Molluscs Not Specified
General Squid, Octopus Not Specified
REFERENCES FOR GENERAL FOOD - 269
COMMENTS ON FOOD -
Spanish mackerel feed on small fish, shrimp, and squid *269*.
Food Habits - 1 (DRAFT) - Environment Associations
Species mackerel, Spanish
Species Id TSNL010504
Date 27 AUG 96
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
Environment Associations - 1 (DRAFT) - Life History
Species mackerel, Spanish
Species Id TSNL010504
Date 27 AUG 96
LIFE HISTORY
The back and upper sides of Spanish mackerel are blue or blue-green, shading
to silver below. There are rows of orange or brown spots on the sides *269*.
It is generally thought that the Spanish mackerel strikes the South Texas
Coast in large schools near Port Isabel every spring and works up the coast
to Galveston and beyond. Apparently the Spanish mackerel begins to leave
the Texas Coast in September *269*..
Spanish mackerel have been found at a length of 2 feet and 61 cm. The
average weight is about pounds. An eight-pounder is considered large *269*.
All spawning takes place in water of oceanic salinity (35.5 - 36.5 ppt), in
the clear Gulf water mass, and in waters with temperatures over 25 oC.
Running ripe males and fremales were taken during mid-July. Spanish
mackerel spawn in March off Miami; however, Spanish mackerel spawn from July
through September in South Florida *269*.
All larvae collected locally have a series of pigment spots along the
ventral midline behind the anus to the beginning of the caudal fin. In
newly hatched prolarvae (2-3 mm) the spots number 20, while in 6mm
postlarvae as few as 6 are sometimes present. Specimens 4.5 mm already
have 5 preopercular spines well developed, the third very strong. By 7 mm
seven are present, the fifth being the strongest. Below 4 mm three spines
are present barely anterior to the main row but they gradually disappear
with growth. The first dorsal remains very low until the fish are more than
10 mm long. The spines begin differentiation between 6 and 8 mm. Precise
vertebral counts were not possible, but there are more than 45 in 6 and 8 mm
specimens *269*.
LIFE HISTORY CODES -
Breeding/Spawning Season: March
Breeding/Spawning Season: July
Breeding/Spawning Season: August
Breeding/Spawning Season: September
Life History - 1 (DRAFT) - Management Practices
Species mackerel, Spanish
Species Id TSNL010504
Date 27 AUG 96
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
Management Practices - 1 (DRAFT) - References
Species mackerel, Spanish
Species Id TSNL010504
Date 27 AUG 96
References
269 * Texas System of Natural Laboratories. 1991. Species
Profile - Spanish mackerel. (ed.). Texas System of Natural
Laboratories Austin, Texas. Additional references available at the
Austin Office.
References - 1