Nutrition:

• Excellent source of protein, vitamin B12, vitamin E, niacin, vitamin K and selenium
• Good source of vitamin D
• 250 mg omega-3s per label serving
• Atlantic mackerel are short-lived and low on the ocean food chain, so don’t have the high levels of toxins often found in longer-lived, large predator fish like tuna and swordfish

Ingredients:

mackerel, organic extra-virgin olive oil, organic lemon, organic capers in vinegar, salt

Allergens:

• Contains fish (mackerel).

Sourcing:

• Wild Atlantic mackerel are a small, schooling fish that occur in great numbers. By choosing to eat these fish, we’re taking pressure off less abundant, larger species like tuna and swordfish.
• Our partners harvest the mackerel from a small-scale fishery in the Bay of Biscay, off the coast of northern Spain. The fish are caught by hook and line, with little to no bycatch.
• Fishermen belong to cofradías, or brotherhoods, that date back to medieval times. Cofradías function as cooperatives, sharing profits and guaranteeing worker safety and other benefits.
• Learn more about our Mackerel Sourcing.

Packaging:

• Can is 100% aluminum, BPA-NI* and recyclable (if clean and dry).

*Bisphenol-A No-Intent: No BPAs were intentionally added to the packaging.

Certifications:

• Certified B®️ Corporation
• 1% for the Planet®️

• The seasonings are on the bottom, so flip the opened can onto a plate to let them flow evenly over the fish.
• Eat straight from the can with crusty bread to dip into the seasoned oil.
• Add to pastas and salads.
• Layer into sandwiches.
• For more ideas, check out our Mackerel recipes.

What happened? In March 2023, Seafood Watch®, a ratings system from California’s Monterey Bay Aquarium, gave a red (“avoid”) assessment of the Atlantic Mackerel fishery in the Bay of Biscay, off the coast of northern Spain. This is where we source our Atlantic Mackerel.   

Why the red rating?

Atlantic mackerel in the Bay of Biscay belong to a much larger population of mackerel that migrate across the entire Northeast Atlantic, from the coast of Portugal to Icelandic and Scandinavian waters. There’s no international agreement on harvest rates, and the overall population of Atlantic mackerel is being overfished as a result. 

Our response to the rating

The Atlantic mackerel population in Bay of Biscay itself can sustain responsible harvest, according to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), the world’s oldest intergovernmental science association. Likewise, The Good Fish Foundation, based in the Netherlands, gives this place-based fishery a green rating. 

The trouble happens further north: 90% of the annual Atlantic mackerel harvest comes from northern European waters, from mid-water trawlers and purse seiners, again according to ICES data. These industrial boats overharvest fish, haul in bycatch and damage the ocean ecosystem.

Our fishing partners in the Bay of Biscay use small, family-owned boats and fish with hook-and-line, a highly selective method that avoids bycatch. We’ll keep monitoring the health of the fishery, working with our partners in academia. As long as harvests don’t exceed the limits for a healthy, resilient fishery, we’ll source our Atlantic mackerel from the fishing families of northern Spain.