King Mackerel
- Back is bluish-green, fading to silvery sides and belly (no spots)
- Front of first dorsal fin lacks a dark blotch.
- Lateral line drops sharply below the second dorsal fin.
- Juveniles may have yellowish spots, similar to Spanish mackerel.
What is the difference between mackerel and king mackerel?
Both are long, slender fish with a forked tail and bronze-colored spots on the body. But the Spanish mackerel features a black spot on the first dorsal fin that the king mackerel lacks. Also, the king mackerel has a pronounced dip in the lateral line below the second dorsal fin.
What does king mackerel look like?
King mackerel are iron-gray on the back and silvery on their sides and belly. They have pale to dusky fins. Small king mackerel sometimes have spots like Spanish mackerel, but king mackerel can be distinguished by their sharply dipping lateral line and gray anterior (near the front) dorsal (the upper side) fin.
Which mackerel is king mackerel?
Scomberomorus cavalla
The king mackerel (Scomberomorus cavalla) or kingfish, is a migratory species of mackerel of the western Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. It is an important species to both the commercial and recreational fishing industries.
What color meat is king mackerel?
Description & Characteristics. Spanish Mackerel (also called Kingfish) has been called the most flavorful of all mackerel. Its meat is darker off white in color and is used in a wide variety of food preparations ranging from sushi/sashimi to barbecuing.
Is king mackerel a good fish to eat?
If you wish to add mackerel to your diet, make sure you’re eating a kind with low mercury content, like the North Atlantic mackerel. Avoid fishes like king mackerel and Spanish mackerel that have high levels of mercury and pose a risk of causing mercury poisoning.
How do you identify a kingfish?
The northern kingfish has dark, angular bands along the sides of their body and a long first dorsal spine. The Gulf kingfish has a silvery color as well as a darker area on the tail fin (mainly on the dorsal lobe or the top portion), and much smaller scales than the southern kingfish.
What is the average size of a king mackerel?
Individuals caught near fishing piers are typically older juveniles. Both sexes mature at 3 – 4 years of age; approx. size at maturity: males – 28 inches, females – 32 inches.
What is the biggest king mackerel ever caught?
93.0-pound
The current IGFA All Tackle World Record is a 93.0-pound king mackerel caught offshore of San Juan, Puerto Rico April 18, 1999 by angler Steve Graulau.
Is king mackerel high in mercury?
Do not eat Shark, Swordfish, King Mackerel, or Tilefish because they contain high levels of mercury.
Is all mackerel high in mercury?
Mackerel. Atlantic and Atka mackerel from Alaska are high in inflammation-fighting omega-3s and low in mercury, but not all mackerel get a thumbs-up. King mackerel, from the Western Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, has a high mercury content. Zumpano suggests limiting Spanish mackerel as well due to mercury concerns.
Can you eat king mackerel raw?
Mackerel (saba) is normally made into sushi or sashimi cured with vinegar and salt (shime-saba). It’s not cooked with any kind of heat. Mackerel is quick to spoil, so it is not trusted to be eaten raw.
What is the market price for king mackerel?
$7.99 to $11.86
King Mackerel Price Per Pound
The average market price per found of a king mackerel ranges from $7.99 to $11.86.
Is king mackerel a tuna?
Range & Habitat: King mackerel are true members of the tuna family and are a Western Atlantic species.
What is the best bait for king mackerel?
Silvery live baits such pilchards, threadfin herring, menhaden, mullet and blue runners are preferable to dead baits, according to virtually all top tournament anglers. However, live bait is not always easily obtained, so these same anglers also bring frozen baits such as cigar minnows, ribbonfish and Spanish mackerel.
What is a large mackerel called?
The migratory king mackerel is the largest of the different types of mackerel in America. It inhabits the waters along the Atlantic coast from Maine to Brazil and parts of the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean.
What are the different types of mackerel?
MackerelRepresentative species
Which is the tastiest mackerel?
Spanish Mackerels have darker meat and are one of the tastiest of the Mackerel family. Spanish Mackerels are also one of the richest sources for Omega-3 fatty acids.
What is the best mackerel to eat?
As opposed to leaner white fish, mackerel is an oily fish, rich in healthy fats. King mackerel is a high-mercury fish, so opt for the lower mercury Atlantic or smaller mackerel choices.
What is the healthiest fish to eat?
6 of the Healthiest Fish to Eat
- Albacore Tuna (troll- or pole-caught, from the US or British Columbia)
- Salmon (wild-caught, Alaska)
- Oysters (farmed)
- Sardines, Pacific (wild-caught)
- Rainbow Trout (farmed)
- Freshwater Coho Salmon (farmed in tank systems, from the US)
What does kingfish look like?
Kingfish are easily recognizable by their distinct yellow tails and (dorsal, pectoral, caudal) fins. They are generally dark green in colour, with a white stomach, and a yellow stripe which runs along the pectoral line to their caudal fin. They are fast-swimming, streamlined carnivores with smooth scales.