Blue mackerel (Scomber australasicus) is a saltwater species recorded in Taiwan. It is found at depths of 87–200 m. The main season in Taiwan runs spring, winter.
Scientific name: Scomber australasicus · Water: Saltwater · Season: Spring, Winter
Size: up to 50.2 cm
The blue mackerel is a scombrid of coastal and oceanic waters, recorded from a minimum depth of about 87 m with fishing depths reaching 265 m. It schools by size, sometimes mixing with other small pelagic fish and sardines, and feeds mainly on plankton as well as fish, crustaceans and cephalopods. It ranges from the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf through Japan south to Australia and New Zealand, with an eastern Pacific population at Hawaii and off Mexico at Socorro Island. It is in season in winter. It is a commercial and game species, also in usual use as bait, and sells at a very high price. Maximum length is about 50.2 cm standard length, commonly about 30 cm fork length, and it can weigh 1.4 kg. It is a subtropical species, recorded from 43°N to 50°S and 32°E to 110°W. Trophic level is 4.2, fishing vulnerability moderate at 44 of 100, climate vulnerability low to moderate at 30 of 100, and resilience medium. IUCN lists it as least concern.
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