Mackerel are subjected to seasonal fisheries, both commercial and recreational, throughout most of their range. United States commercial landings have been taken primarily between January and May in southern New England and Mid-Atlantic coastal waters, and between May and December in the Gulf of Maine. United States recreational catches occur mainly between April and October. Canadian landings have typically been taken from off Nova Scotia and Newfoundland between May and November. The intensive distant-water fishery conducted between 1968 and 1977 occurred mainly between December and April from Georges Bank to Cape Hatteras.
Management is based on annual quota specifications.
Mackerel landings increased dramatically as effort by distant-water fleets intensified in the late 1960s, reaching a peak of roughly 430,000 mt in 1973. Landings subsequently declined to about 30,000 mt in the late 1970s, increased to about 87,000 mt in 1990, and then declined to 27,400 mt in 1995 and have increased slightly in subsequent years. Increases in landings in the 1980s resulted from increased U.S. and foreign joint venture fishing operations. Canadian landings decreased from 18,500 mt in 1997 to 15,000 mt in 1998. Year classes from 1975 to 1980 were all relatively weak.