Pacific Mackerel

• Pacific mackerel grow fast, up to 25 inches and more than 6 pounds.
• They can live up to 18 years but are able to reproduce by age 4, and sometimes as early as age 1.
• They spawn at different times of the year, depending on where they live. Pacific mackerel spawn from late April to September off California, year-round off central Baja California peaking from June through October, and from late fall to early spring off Cabo San Lucas.
• They spawn several times a year, releasing batches of almost 70,000 eggs each time. The eggs usually hatch within 4 to 5 days.
• Pacific mackerel feed on plankton (tiny floating plants and animals) and the younger stages of all the pelagic species such as anchovies and sardines, as well as their own young.
• Various larger fish (such as sharks and tunas), marine mammals, and seabirds eat Pacific mackerel.
• Pacific mackerel school as a defense against predators. Often they will school with other pelagic species such as jack mackerel and sardines.
• As adults, they migrate north to Washington in the summer and south to Baja California in the winter. The northerly movement in summer is accentuated during El Niño events.
• They also travel inshore and offshore off California—they’re more abundant inshore from July to November and more abundant offshore from March to May.

Where They Live

Range

Habitat