Mackerel is a common name given to a number of species of fish. Most mackerel are from the Scombridae family.
They are pelagic fish, found in both temperate and tropical seas. Most live along the coast or offshore in the oceanic environment.
Mackerel typically have vertical stripes on their backs and deeply forked tails. They are superb swimmers, but are often eaten by larger predators such as cod, sharks and dolphins.