Peppered Mackerel Fillets
Peppered Mackerel Fillets1 fillet = approx 100g | The Atlantic Mackerel is by far the most common of the ten species of the family that are caught in British waters. It is extremely common in huge shoals migrating towards the coast to feed on small fish and prawns during the summer. Abundant in cold and temperate shelf areas, it forms large schools near the surface. They overwinter in deeper waters but move closer to shore in spring when water temperatures range between 11 degrees and 14 degrees C. In north-east Atlantic: North Sea (east) and British Isles (west). The North Sea stock decreased dramatically in the 1960s because of direct overfishing. Over fishing has also lead to a worrying decrease in stocks in the west coast of Ireland. This is largly due to Ireland handing over most of its fishing rights to the European Union. Also construction of massive fishing trawlers and significent improvements in fish finding techniques mean that more and more fish are taken out of the water. Male and female Atlantic mackerel grow at about the same rate, reaching a maximum age of about 20 years and a maximum fork length of about 47 cm. Most Atlantic mackerel are sexually mature by the age of three years. Recipes for Peppered Mackerel FilletsPepper mackerel salad with vegetable crisps recipe |
