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Distribution:
The pacific mackerel is widely distributed, usually found in the northwestern, southeastern, and northeastern pacific. In the eastern pacific it can be found anywhere from central Mexico to Southeastern Alaska. The Chub Mackerel are very abundant south of Point Conception, CA. Pacific Mackerel are generally found within 20 miles off coast in waters between 50 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Young mackerels like to live around sandy beaches or kelp beds, while adults are found in deeper waters in shallow banks anywhere up to 1000 feet of depth. Pacific Mackerels school with other pelagic species as well such as other types of mackerels and sardines. During summer Pacific Mackerels like to travel north and south during winter.

Fishing Habits:
Known to fisherman as the “Hardhead,” the Pacific Mackerel is regularly fished, and canned for human consumption, for pet food, for bait, or even served fresh. From 1980-89, the recreational catch average in California was 1,462 tons. Since they have begun being fished, The Chub Mackerel reached its catching peak in 1978 with 3,412,602 tons. Since 1978, the catch ratings have continued to decrease, but picked back up a little in 1995. The ideal method for catching Chub Mackerel is Round-haul gear such as Purse Seines. By catch is low because nets are placed directly on schools of fish. Chub Mackerel are caught all year round, especially between June and November. Chub mackerel can be caught on both sides of north America, but the most important fisheries commercially are in California and Mexico.

Defense Mechanism:
The Chub Mackerel isn’t a predator, so it relies on Camouflage itself in order to stay hidden from its predators. Although it cannot change colors or spray ink like other marine species, it has a dorsal pattern very similar to the light pattern that the waves and sun work together to emit. When in danger they move close to the surface of the water to merge with the flickering light of the sun. From above it is very difficult to spot the Chub Mackerel, which helps keep it safe from predatory birds. Camouflage and Evasive Behaviour. This is the technique Chub Mackerel use to stay hidden from their predators, which can be various sharks, birds, but mainly tuna.

Diet:
As larvae, the Chub Mackerel feed mainly on copepods and rotifers and sometimes even smaller larvae of their own kind. Chub Mackerel larvae can consume up to 87% of their dry body weight a day. As juveniles, Chub Mackerels feed mainly of zooplankton. As adults, Chub Mackerels feed on Mysids and euphausids.

Nutrition Benefits:
According to nutrition specialists, it is said that the Chub Mackerel is a very healthy meal. It is a fish that is very high in protein and rich in Omega-3 and unsaturated fatty acids which can prevent cardiovasccular disease and cancer as well. Due to ts high energy and protein intake, and low carbohydrate value, it is recommended in the diets of growing children and pregnant women. The Chub Mackerel is a popular dish in Sicilian cuisine, in which it is served in a variety of ways. In the Sicilian culture, the Chub Mackerel is called a variety of names, Strummu Ucchiutu, Varatulu Scrummu, or Occhiutu. In the kitchen and market, the fish is in the best condition if the meat is firm and the eyes are clear with the colors bright. For the most part it is eaten fresh, but can be seen pickled or frozen. In Sicilian cuisine it is also served filleted and raw, marinated in oil, lemon, salt, and pepper.

Spawning and Maturation:
Spawning between Chub Mackerel typically occurs at temperatures of fifty-nine to sixty-eight degrees Fahrenheit. This in turn, leads to different mating seasons depending on what part of the hemisphere they are located. Chub Mackerel females lay an average of about 100,000 to 400,000 eggs during breeding season. The mackerel is constantly competing with other fish for food, meaning survival rate is not ideal. Although maturation of Chub Mackerel has never been thoroughly documented, data shows that spawning can happen from March through October, but spawning mostly happens from april through august. Sometimes in females, ripe translucent eggs appear simultaneously with unripe ova in early stages of development; this is also seen with the Atlantic mackerel as well.

References"
Camouflage and Evasive Behaviour. (n.d.). ulpgc.es. Retrieved April 21, 2013, from acceda.ulpgc.es/bitstream/10553/327/1/551.pdf

Chub mackerel | FEP." Sicilian Castro Hernández, J.J.; Santana Ortega, A.T. Fish on the Road - Regione Siciliana. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2013. .

CATCH. (n.d.). NOAA - FishWatch: Pacific Mackerel. NOAA - FishWatch. Retrieved April 24, 2013, from http://www.fishwatch.gov/seafood_profiles/species

FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 2. Scombrids of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of Tunas, Mackerels, Bonitos and related species known to date.Collette, B.B. & C.E. Nauen 1983.. FAO Fish. Synop., (125)Vol.2:137 p.

Scomber japonicus (Pacific Chub Mackerel). (n.d.). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved April 28, 2013, from http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/170306/0

"chub mackerel." blueocean.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2013. 

"maturation and growth of pacific mackerel." aquaticcommons.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2013. <http://aquaticcommons.org/660/1/Technical

Venta de Estornino Congelado. Scomber Japonicus - Vixa. (n.d.). Venta de Caballa, Sardina, Jurel, Estornino al mayor | VIXA - Vixa. Retrieved April 28, 2013, from http://www.vixa.es/en/frozen-fish/chub-mackerel

Scomber japonicus
Collette, B., Acero, A., Canales Ramirez, C., Cardenas, G., Carpenter, K.E., Chang, S.-K., Di Natale, A., Fox, W., Guzman-Mora, A., Juan Jorda, M., Miyabe, N., Montano Cruz, R., Nelson, R., Salas, E., Schaefer, K., Serra, R., Sun, C., Uozumi, Y., Wang, S., Wu, J. & Yeh, S. 2011. Scomber japonicus. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. . Downloaded on 17 April 2013.

NOAA. nd. Fish Watch Seafood Facts:Pacific Mackerel. http://www.fishwatch.gov/seafood_profiles/species/mackerel/species_pages/pacific_mackerel.htm

http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/3277/en