Recent occurrence of juvenile Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) in Icelandic waters

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The known distribution of 0-group and age 1 mackerel in Icelandic waters from its first recording and to the present day is presented. Juvenile mackerel have been observed sporadically during annual groundfish surveys on the Icelandic shelf since 2006. In the autumn of 2010, however, 0-group mackerel was observed over a wide area to the south-east, south, south-west, and west of Iceland. Estimation of 0-group hatching date distributions by means of otolith microstructure analysis indicates that the juveniles may originate from spawning in the north-western part of the spawning area in the North-East Atlantic. The possible origin of 0-group mackerel in the area was investigated with the aid of a particle tracking model. It is concluded that juvenile mackerel are wintering in Icelandic waters and it seems that the nursery areas are extending