The Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) is a pelagic marine fish in the mackerel family, Scombridae, which also includes tunas and bonitos. Recognizable by its blue-green back marked with black stripes and its silvery sides, it lives in schools in the temperate waters of the North Atlantic.

Fast and active, it moves with the seasons and changes in water temperature, sometimes forming large schools near the surface. It plays an important role in marine food webs, both as a predator of small animals and as prey for larger fish and marine mammals.

The Atlantic mackerel has a streamlined body that tapers at both ends, allowing it to move quickly through the water. Its metallic blue-green back is marked with dark, wavy or slanted lines, while its sides and belly are silvery and unspotted. It commonly measures around 12 inches in length, but the largest individuals can reach 20 to 24 inches.

Its two dorsal fins are widely separated, and its tail fin is deeply forked. Small additional fins, called finlets, extend along the back and underside behind the dorsal and anal fins toward the tail. Unlike many fish, it does not have a swim bladder.

The Atlantic mackerel inhabits the North Atlantic Ocean, from the cold waters near Canada and Greenland to the temperate waters of Europe and North Africa. It occurs on both sides of the ocean and in some neighboring seas, including the North Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.

Its distribution changes throughout the year. Populations migrate between wintering grounds, often offshore in deeper waters, and feeding or spawning grounds, which are generally closer to shore as the water warms.

The Atlantic mackerel is a pelagic fish that lives mainly in open water over the continental shelf, in cold to temperate waters. It often forms large schools near the surface, grouping individuals of similar size. Depending on the season and environmental conditions, it may also move into deeper waters, particularly in winter.

The Atlantic mackerel feeds mainly on small organisms in the water column, particularly planktonic crustaceans such as copepods and krill. It also eats shrimp, squid, and small fish, including herring, sardines, and sprats.

The Atlantic mackerel is an egg-laying fish that spawns in open water. During spawning, females release their eggs into the sea, where they are fertilized by males. The eggs then drift in the water column, and their development depends in part on water temperature.

Spawning generally takes place in spring and summer in the North Atlantic, although the timing varies by region and population. Females release several batches of eggs during a single season. After hatching, the larvae initially live among the plankton before growing and gradually joining schools of young mackerel.

The Atlantic mackerel does not have a swim bladder, a gas-filled organ that helps many fish regulate their buoyancy. As a result, it must keep swimming actively to remain in the water column.

The atlantic mackerel is listed as many other marine species within The IUCN Red List of threatened species. The atlantic mackerel appears in the IUCN Red List since 2011 within the category Least Concern !