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Mackerel characteristics
- Food For Sale
Mackerel characteristics
Mackerels are known to be some of the most nutritious fishes. They are full of natural goodness. Mackerels are great source of lean protein, essential minerals and vitamins. Their flesh contains vitamins B2, B3, B6, B12 and Vitamin D. Minerals such as copper, selenium and iodine are in good supply too. Some of these mackerels contain excellent amounts of iron and vitamin B1. Mackerel has a similar amount of healthy omega-3 fatty acids as salmon. In fact, depending on the quality of the mackerel it may have even more omega-3 fats than salmon. So, mackerel is an oily fish.
While it has a rich flavour, it is a great fish to add variety to your diet plan. Most heath authorities encourage consumers to eat two to three serves of fish per week. The evidence is unequivocal that fish consumption each week is an advantage. It helps better health and longevity.
Overfishing
So far, the schooling nature of mackerel makes it vulnerable to overfishing. However, target with purse seine and line fishing means little bycatch results from the fishery. Authorities cites concerns about bycatch. Thus far, targeting of sharks are potentially vulnerable by Northern Territory and Queensland fisheries.
Mackerels are commonly surviving in tropical and temperate oceans. They mostly live along the coast or offshore in the seas. Mackerels appear all around the world in some numbers. Hence, many countries produce and trade them. The top producers and exporters are Japan, Denmark, the Netherlands, China, and Norway.
Scombridae family
The term ‘mackerel’ is a common name for several fast-moving seawater fishes. Thus, it does to refer to a single type of fish. Similarly, it does not relate to a single species of fish. So, most of these species belong to the Scombridae family. Thus far, mackerels are close relatives of tuna and bonito. Therefore, both of these belong to the family Scombridae. In fact, many fishes fall under the mackerel category. There is no single feature that may apply to all of them. However, it is common to find fishes of this kind having a long, and slender body. They all have a deeply forked tail. Many of them have coloured and luminous skin. They will have distinct irregular strips.
So, mackerels vary in sizes. They range from the smaller bait fish to the spectacular
game fish. However, in comparison to tuna, mackerel are generally slimmer and smaller.
Mackerel taste
Simply taste delicious when fresh. Mackerels can start smelling even when one day old. So, to enjoy the best taste consume them with 24 hours of catching. Nearly all kinds of mackerel have a distinct, rich flavour. The flesh is flaky, moist and soft. It is known for their slightly sweet and salty taste. Many people praise these fish for the taste. However, because it is an oily fish, some people find its taste a little fish and oily.
So, the rich oil content is the healthy omega-3 fats. Hence, makes mackerels a valuable fish. The good fats are beneficial to keep your heart and brain healthy. Mackerels have much more omega-3 fats than most other seafoods. Another nutritional benefit of mackerels is they have significantly higher levels of the good unsaturated fats. In fact, more than 75 percent of the fat in mackerel is unsaturated. So, enjoy it whole or smoked and use it in your favourite cold salad like you would add tuna.
