344 Frigate Mackerel, Common Bonito 



are often visible swimming near the surface offshore and 

 close to inlets of bays. The Chub Mackerel eats much the 

 same food as the common mackerel. 

 Economic Importance: A good food fish often taken, to- 

 gether with the common mackerel, by commercial fisher- 

 men. When abundant it is an important species in the 

 sport fishery, as it will strike readily at a moving bait or 

 artificial lure. It is often confused with the common 

 mackerel. 



Frigate Mackerel 

 Auxis thazard (Lacepede) 



The Frigate Mackerel is commonly found offshore in 

 warm seas. In the western Atlantic it is a rare straggler in 

 the area from Cape Cod to Cape Hatteras. Specimens 

 taken in this area are usually less than one foot long. 



Common Bonito 

 Sarda sarda (Bloch) 



Color: Blue-black above; lower sides and belly silvery. Up- 

 per parts of sides have parallel dark blue bands running 

 obliquely from the edge of the back toward the rear of 

 the gill opening. The young have dark blue vertical bars 

 on the sides which disappear in the adult. 

 Distribution: Occurs in warm waters on both sides of the 

 Atlantic Ocean and in the Mediterranean. In the western 



