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#1 Post by **2Poc** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 8:39 am

Did you know....

I read yesterday that Mackeral are slow growing fish & it can take 8 years for one to reach a pound??

You'd never think it with the amount of them & the bashing they get...

#2 Post by **Eoghan** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 8:41 am

Doubt it very much. Can you post the link. Bass dont even grow that slow. I could be wrong but I believe a 1 pound mackerel is approx 2 years old.

#3 Post by **2Poc** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 9:05 am

Don't have a link I'm afraid though I will try to find the info online.

I read it while browsing a fishing book in a shop yesterday.

(Didnt just pull it out of the ether..)

#4 Post by **Eoghan** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 10:30 am

The reason mackerel are so plentyful is the fact that they grow so quick. If only Bass were as quick. Although a mackerel is great sport on light tackle. Not a weight and feathers though, light spinning rod and german sprat or similar.

#5 Post by **2Poc** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 10:39 am

http://www.fishingbig.com/mackerel_fishing/

The mackerel is a very slow growing fish and takes about seven years to reach a pound in weight so to give this species a chance only take what you need.

#6 Post by **col** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 11:14 am

Never knew that, surprising.Good find :P

#7 Post by **stevecrow74** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 11:38 am

i knew they were slow growers but didn't realise they were that slow..

but they do go at it like rabbits though

minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years

and they live for quite a while(that is if the avoind mackerel bashers)

max. reported age: 17 years

all stats are from here
http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/Species ... php?id=118

#8 Post by **Eoghan** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 12:05 pm

Wow, gobsmacked. For a slow growing fish they do really well. I would have thought with a diet of fish in the summer months and plantkon in winter they would grow faster than that.

#9 Post by **bigkev** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 2:24 pm

In complete contradiction
http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/fbi/age-man/mack/mack.htm
Says
Male and female 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 mackerel are sexually mature by age 3.
Young-of-the-year mackerel are fast growing, usually completing about 20 cm of growth by the first autumn after hatching

FWIW
Kev

#10 Post by **Senor Feeshy** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 2:47 pm

I always understood them to be relatively fast growing fish. How else would stocks have survived given the intensity of commercial macking?

http://www.fao.org/wairdocs/tan/x5938E/ ... 1.htm#Life history

#11 Post by **Eoghan** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 2:51 pm

Thats exactly what I was thinking. If they were slow growing they would have been wiped out by this stage. That last post says they are 20cm after 1 year..?

#12 Post by **2Poc** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 2:53 pm

Senor Feeshy wrote:I always understood them to be relatively fast growing fish. How else would stocks have survived given the intensity of commercial macking?

http://www.fao.org/wairdocs/tan/x5938E/ ... 1.htm#Life history

Taken from the above link:

mackerel 35-40 cm long may be anywhere between 5 and 20 years old.

#13 Post by **bigkev** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 3:09 pm

I think all the sites agree the following
Mackerel achieve 20 cms in their first year of growth
Their growth slows after year 3 and they then grow about 1-2 cms per year maxing at 42 cms approx and lifespan of 20 years
They are sexually mature at 3
All interesting stuff huh!
Kev

#14 Post by **2Poc** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 3:14 pm

So basically 'Mackeral are slow growing fish & it can take 8 years for one to reach a pound'

:wink:

#15 Post by **bigkev** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 3:53 pm

er-yeah

But I learnt loads arguing about it!!

Kev

#16 Post by **2Poc** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:02 pm

Me too :wink:

#17 Post by **Senor Feeshy** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 11:09 pm

I suppose its a bit of a yes and no situation. To put that quote into context -

Growth continues to be rapid until they reach maturity at 3-4 years, when they are 28-34 cm long. Growth rate is then much reduced, and mackerel 35-40 cm long may be anywhere between 5 and 20 years old.

The key is the speed in reaching maturity. Weight after this is probably just middle age spread :wink:

Sea Angling Ireland

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