Profile updated on 19 April 2022
SCIENTIFIC NAME(s)
Scomber japonicus
SPECIES NAME(s)
Pacific chub mackerel, chub mackerel, macarela
The distribution of the species is circum-global and cosmopolitan (SPRFMO 2021). In the South-American Pacific coast, this resource has been left out of genetic or molecular studies to explain its population structure, and only a couple of studies refer to two separated populations: i) Ecuador to central-north Peru and ii) southern Peru to northern Chile (Barahona et al. 2017). Nevertheless, the landings of chub mackerel are not limited to northern Chile and are found up to Chiloe Island (43ºS). Life parameters show distinct patterns in northern and central-southern Chile, which indicates different stocks from samples in 18-28ºS (northern stock) and 34-40ºS (central-southern stock) (Cerna and Plaza 2014). Since there are no assessment units and uncertainty on the population structure exists, this profile is based on the management unit at the country level.
Chilean fisheries have very distinct behaviors, with a northern activity close to the shore (reflecting the characteristics of the fleet operating in this area), whereas the central-southern fishery reports landings as far as 500 miles offshore, since the target resource is Chilean Jack mackerel (Trachurus murphyi) (Martínez Farías et al. 2007)(SPRFMO 2020). Spawning areas have been reported within 200 nm from the coast in Chilean waters (SPRFMO 2021).
Management Quality:
< 6
DATA DEFICIENT
DATA DEFICIENT