One of the very few fish for which a management plan was enacted before problems began. Regulators are now addressing overfishing. Most bluefish are caught on a rod and reel. Mackerels are related to tunas and are found worldwide in warm and temperate seas. Many are important prey for other fish.
Most mackerels are in the safe zone.
But the king mackerel is overfished in the Gulf of Mexico. Some species are well managed, others not. King, Atlantic, and Spanish mackerels have all been overfished in the past. Management has generally improved. Low to moderate in offshore purse-seine nets and coastal gill nets.