Pacific jack mackerel (Trachurus symmetricus)

Scientific name: Trachurus symmetricus Ayres, 1855

The Pacific jack mackerel (Trachurus symmetricus) is a marine fish of the family Carangidae. Native range: Eastern Pacific, southeastern Alaska to southern Baja California, Mexico and the Gulf of California; reported from Acapulco in Mexico and the Galapagos Islands.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 8 - 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 28-38; Anal spines: 1 - 2; Anal soft rays: 22 - 33; Vertebrae: 23 - 25. Small specimens may have an additional forward-directed spine at first dorsal origin (embedded in larger specimens).

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Trachurus symmetricus
Family: Carangidae (Jacks and pompanos)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 81.0
Common length: 55.0
Depth range: 0–400 m (0–1312 ft)
Environment: Marine; pelagic-oceanic; oceanodromous; depth range 0 - 400 m
Climate: Subtropical
Distribution: Eastern Pacific: southeastern Alaska to southern Baja California, Mexico and the Gulf of California; reported from Acapulco in Mexico and the Galapagos Islands.
Conservation status (IUCN): Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes
Resilience: Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.09-0.21;tm=2-3; tmax=30; Fec

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Last updated 27 September 2026