Atlantic mackerel feed mainly on crustaceans like copepods, krill, and shrimp, but also consume squid, some fish, and ascidians. They are prey to several species of fish and marine mammals such as tunas, sharks, and dolphins. However, fishing of the Atlantic mackerel stock as a whole has remained in excess of scientifically recommended limits since the s.
Atlantic mackerel can be found on both sides of the North Atlantic Ocean, as far east as the Baltic Sea. Two separate populations with little to no mixing exist in the northwestern and northeastern Atlantic. They swim in schools by size near the surface, in cold and temperate waters over the continental shelf. They travel to and from spawning and summering grounds, overwintering in deeper waters but moving closer to shore in spring when the water temperatures are between In the western population spawning occurs from Chesapeake Bay to Newfoundland, starting in the south and moving northward in the summer.
Most spawning occurs within 10 to 30 miles from shore. The eastern population spawns in different regions at varying times — in the Mediterranean from March to April, in southern England, northern France, and the North Sea from May to June, and in the Kattegat and Skagerrak from June to July. This information informs the stock assessment and NOAA scientists subsequently provide recommendations to managers.
Because Atlantic mackerel are sensitive to water temperature change and seasonally migrate long distances to feed and spawn, changing environmental factors have altered their distribution.
The stock has shifted northeastward and into shallower waters, which could have significant implications for U. In , US commercial landings of Atlantic mackerel combined to over Two areas make up the Atlantic mackerel fishery: a southern fishery operating in southern New England between January and May and a northern fishery operating in the Gulf of Maine between May and December. They are harvested in large volumes with mid-water trawls and bottom trawls in the US, and in Canada are harvested with purse seines.
Atlantic mackerel are considered as one stock in the US and Canada. No state management exists for Atlantic mackerel. Annual catch limits are set between commercial and recreational fisheries. Permits are required for harvest, available under a limited access program in order to control harvest.
Managers of the fishery monitor commercial catch weekly and will close the fisheries if the limits are reached before the season is complete. Mackerel biomass and catch peaked in the early s due to strong recruitment and lower fishing mortality, but has since been declining due to less recruitment and overfishing.
Fishing mortality is above a sustainable level in both the US and Canada. Abundance and fishing mortality are both considered high concerns. Later in the year, as waters cool, Spanish mackerel return to warm Florida waters. Spanish mackerel support significant recreational and commercial fisheries in South Atlantic waters and the species is gaining importance in the Mid-Atlantic. Many anglers target and catch Spanish mackerel to use whole fish as bait for big game fishing. Total landings were 8.
Coastwide commercial landings have generally been below four million pounds since Recreational anglers harvested approximately 1. Recreational harvest in increased from levels. The trip limit is 3, pounds year-round.
From April 1 through September 30, this increases to 75 fish. From October 1 through January 31, the trip limit returns to 50 fish. The quota for the Southern Zone is divided into two seasons: Season 1 is March 1 through September 30 and Season 2 is October 1 through the end of February. For current information on South Atlantic commercial annual quotas, please visit the annual catch limit monitoring homepage and select commercial fishing in the South Atlantic.
The entire Gulf group has a 3 fish per person bag limit year-round. In the Atlantic group from New York through Georgia there is a 3 fish per person bag limit year-round. In the Atlantic group off Florida, there is a 2 fish per person bag limit year-round. Researchers have some idea about the movements of king mackerel in the Gulf and Atlantic through tagging and genetic studies. In the Gulf, king mackerel are believed to spend summer in the northern Gulf, in waters near the mouth of the Mississippi.
In fall, they migrate south in two separate groups; one group migrates east and south along the Florida coast, and the other group migrates west and south along the Texas coast. The eastern group spends the winter in south Florida.
And flounder fishing is fair to good around Montauk and Gardiners Island. Mackerel fishing is good, and weakfish schools hadn't arrived in the Peconics by midweek. On Mount Misery Shoal, it's a tossup between flounder and mackerel.
Flounder from 1 to 2 pounds are plentiful from Mount Misery Point to Buoy Mackerel are thick off Buoy 11, with the best catches being taken early in the morning, reportt the Caraftis Fishing Station in Port Jefferson. Blackfish to 4 pounds are starting to show off Cedar Beach.
And mackerel are thick. Mackerel also should be more plentiful this week in the western end.
0コメント