Species FAO code: MAS

Scomber japonicus

Scomber japonicus

© FAO

Page contents

Commercial designations
Production methods and fishing gears
EU quality schemes and nutrition values
Conservation measures
Marketing standards
Species distribution and habitat
Species description
Combined Nomenclature

Commercial designations

Country	Commercial designations	Names accepted or permitted locally or regionally
Austria	de Makrele de Spanische Makrele	–
Belgium	fr Maquereau espagnol nl Spaanse makreel	–
Bulgaria	bg Японска скумрия	–
Croatia	hr lokarda hr plavica	–
Cyprus	el κολιός	–
Czech Republic	cs Makrela japonská cs Makrela měchýřnatá	–
Denmark	da Japansk makrel	–
Estonia	et Jaapani makrell	–
Finland	fi japaninmakrilli sv spansk makrill	–
France	fr maquereau espagnol	–
Germany	de Makrele de Spanische Makrele	–
Greece	el Κολιός Ειρηνικού	–
Hungary	hu közönséges makréla hu spanyol makréla	–
Ireland	en Chub mackerel ga Ronnach Seapánach	–
Italy	it Lanzardo it sgombro occhione	–
Latvia	lv Austrumu makreles	–
Lithuania	lt japoninė skumbrė	–
Luxembourg	de Makrele de Spanische Makrele fr maquereau espagnol	–
Malta	en Pacific chub mackerel it Sgombro occhione mt Kavall għajnejh kbar	–
Netherlands	nl Spaanse makreel	–
Poland	pl Makrela kolias	–
Portugal	pt Cavala	–
Romania	ro Macrou spaniol	–
Slovakia	sk makrela japonská	–
Slovenia	sl lokarda	–
Spain	es Caballa del sur es Estornino	Balearic Islands: Bis del pacífic
Sweden	sv Spansk makrill	–

Main production methods

Caught
Farmed

Main fishing gears

Source: Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. FishBase. Scomber japonicus Houttuyn, 1782

Recognized designations

protected geographical indication (PGI)

Spain

Caballa de Andalucia

Source: eAmbrosia - the EU geographical indications register (eAmbrosia)

Minimum conservation reference sizes

As defined in art. 8 of Regulation (EU) 2015/812 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 2015, which admends article 47 of Regulation (EU) No 1379/2013, where minimum conservation reference sizes are established, they shall constitute minimum marketing sizes. More

Minimum conservation reference size

≥ 20.0 cmTotal length (TL)

Fishing areas

27.5 Iceland and Faeroes Grounds (Subarea V)
27.6 Rockall, Northwest Coast of Scotland and North Ireland, (the Northwest Coast of Scotland and North Ireland also known as the West of Scotland) (Subarea VI)
27.7 Irish Sea, West of Ireland, Porcupine Bank, Eastern and Western English Channel, Bristol Channel, Celtic Sea North and South, and Southwest of Ireland - East and West (Subarea VII)

Minimum conservation reference size

≥ 30.0 cmTotal length (TL)

Fishing areas

27.1.a Barents Sea - NEAFC Regulatory Area
27.2.a.1 Norwegian Sea - NEAFC Regulatory Area
27.2.b.1 Spitzbergen and Bear Island - NEAFC Regulatory Area
27.6.b.1 Rockall - Part of NEAFC Regulatory Area
27.7.c.1 Porcupine Bank - Part of NEAFC Regulatory Area
27.7.j.1 Southwest of Ireland - East - Part of NEAFC Regulatory Area
27.7.k.1 Southwest of Ireland - West - Part of NEAFC Regulatory Area
27.8.d.1 Bay of Biscay - Offshore - Parts in NEAFC Regulatory Area
27.8.e.1 West of Bay of Biscay - Parts in NEAFC Regulatory Area
27.9.b.1 Portuguese Waters - West Parts in NEAFC Regulatory Area
27.10.a.1 Azores Grounds - Parts in NEAFC Regulatory Area
27.12.a.1 Subdivision XIIa1 - NEAFC Regulatory Area
27.12.a.2 Subdivision XIIa2 - NEAFC Regulatory Area
27.14.b.1 Southeast Greenland - Parts of NEAFC Regulatory Area (Division XIVb1)
27.5.b.1.a Faroe Plateau - Part of NEAFC Regulatory Area (Unit Vb1a)

Minimum conservation reference size

≥ 18.0 cmTotal length (TL)

Fishing areas

37.1 Western Mediterranean
37.2 Central Mediterranean
37.3 Eastern Mediterranean

Minimum conservation reference size

≥ 30.0 cmTotal length (TL)

Fishing areas

North Sea: the North Sea shall comprise ICES sub-area 4, the adjacent part of ICES Division 2a lying south of latitude 64° N, and that part of ICES Division 3a which is not covered by the definition of Skagerrak

Minimum conservation reference size

≥ 20.0 cmTotal length (TL)

Fishing areas

27.8 Bay of Biscay (Subarea VIII)
27.9 Portuguese Waters (Subarea IX)
27.10 Azores Grounds (Subarea X)
34.2 Northern Oceanic
34.1.1 Morocco Coastal
34.1.2 Canaries/Madeira Insular

Specific requirements that fishery products marketed in the EU shall meet. They include freshness and size categories.

Freshness categories

	A	B	Extra
Eye	Convex and slightly sunken; dark pupil; slightly opalescent cornea	Flat; blurred pupil; blood seepage around the eye	Convex, bulging; blue-black bright pupil, transparent ‘eyelid’
Gills	Less bright colour, paler at edges. Transparent mucus	Becoming thick discoloured opaque mucus	Uniformly dark red to purple. No mucus
Smell of gills	No smell or seaweed. Neutral smell	Slightly sulphureous fatty smell, rancid bacon cuttings or rotten fruit	Fresh seaweed; pungent; iodine
Gill covers	Silvery, slightly red or brown	Brownish and extensive seepage of blood from vessels	Silvery
Consistency of flesh	Fairly rigid, firm	Slightly soft	Very firm, rigid
Skin mucus	Slightly cloudy	Milky	Aqueous, transparent
Skin	Loss of lustre and shine; duller colours; less difference between dorsal and ventral surfaces	Dull, lustreless, insipid colours; skin creased when fish curved	Bright pigmentation, bright, shining iridescent colours; clear distinction between dorsal and central surfaces

Size categories

Size	weight/fish
1	≥ 0.5 kg
2	≥ 0.25 \| < 0.5 kg
3	≥ 0.14 \| < 0.25 kg
4	≥ 0.05 \| < 0.14 kg

As defined in art. 8 of Regulation (EU) 2015/812 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 2015, which admends article 47 of Regulation (EU) No 1379/2013, where minimum conservation reference sizes are established, they shall constitute minimum marketing sizes. More

Habitat

Saltwater

FAO major fishing areas

Source: Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. FishBase. Scomber japonicus Houttuyn, 1782

Distribution maps

Source: FAO - FAO aquatic species distribution map of Scomber japonicus

Scientific name

Scomber japonicus

Author

Houttuyn, 1782

Rank

Species

FAO code

MAS

Morphological description

Interpelvic process small and single. No well developed corselet. Swim bladder present. First haemal spine posterior to first interneural process; 12 to 15 interneural bones under first dorsal fin. Anal fin spine conspicuous, clearly separated from anal rays but joined to them by a membrane. Back with narrow stripes which zigzag and undulate. Belly unmarked (Pacific population) or with wavy lines (Atlantic pop.) (Ref. 168). Caudal peduncle with 5 finlets on the upper and lower edge. Distance between dorsal fins shorter than or equal to the first dorsal fin base (Ref. 35388).

Taxonomic classification

ClassActinopterygii
- OrderPerciformes
  - FamilyScombridae
    - GenusScomber
      - SpeciesScomber japonicus

Synonyms

Scomber scombrus japonicus Temminck & Schlegel, 1844
Scomber gigas Fowler, 1935
Scomber japonicus japonicus Houttuyn, 1782
Scomber peruanus (Jordan & Hubbs, 1925)
Scomber capensis Cuvier, 1832
Pneumatophorus japonicus (Houttuyn, 1782)
Scomber japonicus peruanus (Jordan & Hubbs, 1925)
Scomber janesaba Bleeker, 1854
Scomber pneumatophorus japonicus Temminck & Schlegel, 1844
Scomber japonicus marplatensis (Lopez, 1955)
Scomber diego Ayres, 1856
Pneumatophorus diego (Ayres, 1856)
Pneumatophorus peruanus Jordan & Hubbs, 1925
Scomber saba Bleeker, 1854
Pneumatophorus japonicus marplatensis López, 1955
Pneumatophorus japonicus japonicus (Houttuyn, 1782)
Scomber joanesaba Bleeker, 1854

Source: Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. FishBase. Scomber japonicus Houttuyn, 1782

An annually revised goods classification scheme used in EU for the purposes of customs duty and foreign trade statistics. The scheme is based on the Harmonized System nomenclature, further extended with Community subdivisions. Each subdivision is identified by an eight-digit numerical code. Read more: Combined Nomenclature

03 — CHAPTER 3 - FISH AND CRUSTACEANS, MOLLUSCS AND OTHER AQUATIC INVERTEBRATES
- 0302 — Fish, fresh or chilled, excluding fish fillets and other fish meat of heading 0304
  - Herring (Clupea harengus, Clupea pallasii), anchovies (Engraulis spp.), sardines (Sardina pilchardus, Sardinops spp.), sardinella (Sardinella spp.), brisling or sprats (Sprattus sprattus), mackerel (Scomber scombrus, Scomber australasicus, Scomber japonicus), jack and horse mackerel (Trachurus spp.), cobia (Rachycentron canadum) and swordfish (Xiphias gladius), excluding livers and roes
    - 0302 44 00 — Mackerel (Scomber scombrus, Scomber australasicus, Scomber japonicus)
- 0303 — Fish, frozen, excluding fish fillets and other fish meat of heading 0304
  - Herring (Clupea harengus, Clupea pallasii), sardines (Sardina pilchardus, Sardinops spp.), sardinella (Sardinella spp.), brisling or sprats (Sprattus sprattus), mackerel (Scomber scombrus, Scomber australasicus, Scomber japonicus), jack and horse mackerel (Trachurus spp.), cobia (Rachycentron canadum) and swordfish (Xiphias gladius), excluding livers and roes
    - 0303 54 — Mackerel (Scomber scombrus, Scomber australasicus, Scomber japonicus)
      - 0303 54 10 — Of the species Scomber scombrus or Scomber japonicus
- 0304 — Fish fillets and other fish meat (whether or not minced), fresh, chilled or frozen
  - Frozen fillets of other fish
    - 0304 89 — Other
      - Other
        Mackerel (Scomber scombrus, Scomber australasicus, Scomber japonicus) and fish of the species Orcynopsis unicolor
        0304 89 49 — Other
- 0305 — Fish, dried, salted or in brine; smoked fish, whether or not cooked before or during the smoking process; flours, meals and pellets of fish, fit for human consumption
  - Smoked fish, including fillets, other than edible fish offal
    - 0305 49 — Other
      - 0305 49 30 — Mackerel (Scomber scombrus, Scomber australasicus, Scomber japonicus)
16 — CHAPTER 16 - PREPARATIONS OF MEAT, OF FISH OR OF CRUSTACEANS, MOLLUSCS OR OTHER AQUATIC INVERTEBRATES
- 1604 — Prepared or preserved fish; caviar and caviar substitutes prepared from fish eggs
  - Fish, whole or in pieces, but not minced
    - 1604 15 — Mackerel
      - Of the species Scomber scombrus and Scomber japonicus
        1604 15 11 — Fillets
        1604 15 19 — Other
  - 1604 20 — Other prepared or preserved fish
    - Other
      - 1604 20 50 — Of sardines, bonito, mackerel of the species Scomber scombrus and Scomber japonicus, fish of the species Orcynopsis unicolor

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