Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus)

Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) for Atlantic mackerel:

• Eggs: Offshore, EFH is the pelagic waters found over the Continental Shelf (from the coast out to the limits of the EEZ), from Maine through Cape Hatteras, North Carolina in areas that comprise the highest 75% of the catch where Atlantic mackerel eggs were collected in MARMAP ichthyoplankton surveys. Inshore, EFH is the "mixing" and/or "seawater" portions of all the estuaries where Atlantic mackerel eggs are "common," "abundant," or "highly abundant" on the Atlantic coast, from Passamaquoddy Bay, Maine to James River, Virginia. Generally, Atlantic mackerel eggs are collected from shore to 50 ft and temperatures between 41 ^oF and 73 ^oF.
  
  

• Larvae: Offshore, EFH is the pelagic waters found over the Continental Shelf (from the coast out to the limits of the EEZ), from the Gulf of Maine through Cape Hatteras, North Carolina that comprise the highest 75% of the catch where Atlantic mackerel larvae were collected in the MARMAP ichthyoplankton survey. Inshore, EFH is also the "mixing" and/or "seawater" portions of all the estuaries where Atlantic mackerel larvae are "common," "abundant," or "highly abundant" on the Atlantic coast, from Passamaquoddy Bay, Maine to James River, Virginia. Generally, Atlantic mackerel larvae are collected in depths between 33 ft and 425 ft and temperatures between 43 ^oF and 72 ^oF.
  
  
• Juveniles: Offshore, EFH is the pelagic water found over the Continental Shelf (from the coast out to the limits of the EEZ), from the Gulf of Maine through Cape Hatteras, North Carolina in areas that comprise the highest 75% of the catch where juvenile Atlantic mackerel were collected in the NEFSC trawl surveys. Inshore, EFH is the "mixing" and/or "seawater" portions of all the estuaries where juvenile Atlantic mackerel are "common," "abundant," or "highly abundant" on the Atlantic coast, from Passamaquoddy Bay, Maine to James River, Virginia. Generally, juveniles Atlantic mackerel are collected from shore to 1050 ft and temperatures between 39 ^oF and 72 ^oF.
  
  
• Adults: Offshore, EFH is the pelagic waters found over the Continental Shelf (from the coast out to the limits of the EEZ), from the Gulf of Maine through Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, in areas that comprise the highest 75% of the catch where adult Atlantic mackerel were collected in the NEFSC trawl surveys. Inshore, EFH is the "mixing" and/or "seawater" portions of all the estuaries where adult Atlantic mackerel are "common," "abundant," or "highly abundant" on the Atlantic coast, from Passamaquoddy Bay, Maine to James River, Virginia. Generally, adult Atlantic mackerel are collected from shore to 1250 ft and temperatures between 39 ^oF and 61 ^oF.