Mackerel icefish
Antarctic fish with mild flesh and black dorsal fins
The mackerel icefish lives in the cold Southern Ocean near sub-Antarctic islands. It supports commercial fisheries that have faced depletion but now hold sustainability certifications for specific stocks.
- Grows to 66 cm and weighs up to 2.0 kg
- Diet is over 95% krill in southern areas
- FAO considers species depleted due to history
- Heard Island fishery is MSC certified sustainable
- Spawns inshore during autumn and winter
What it is
This fish has a long, spindle-shaped body with bluish-silver scales. Its gills appear whitish, and adults display black dorsal fins. Males show distinct white margins on their second caudal and anal fins. The snout is elongated, housing a large mouth with small teeth. Individuals typically reach 35 cm in total length, though they can grow to 66 cm. Those near the Kerguelen Islands remain smaller, maxing out at 45 cm. The maximum recorded weight is 2.0 kg.
Where it lives
It inhabits the Southern Ocean and southern Atlantic waters. Key locations include Heard and McDonald Islands, Îles Kerguelen, South Georgia, and Bouvet Island. The species also lives near the northern Antarctic Peninsula. It occupies depths from the surface down to 700 metres. Most individuals are found between 30 and 250 metres deep. This benthopelagic lifestyle means it lives near the sea floor but also swims in the water column above it.
How it lives
The diet consists mainly of krill, which makes up over 95 percent of food intake in southern areas. It also eats mysids and myctophids, particularly around South Georgia and Kerguelen. Seabirds, seals, and other notothenioid fish prey on it. The species schools together and performs daily vertical migrations in the water. It lives for up to 15 years. Reproductive maturity arrives at three or four years of age.
Breeding and life cycle
Spawning occurs during the Southern Hemisphere autumn and winter. The fish moves inshore to release eggs. Females produce between 10,000 and 20,000 large eggs. These eggs rest on the seabed for approximately three months before hatching. Hatching happens from August to October near South Georgia, and in October around the Kerguelen Islands. The larvae then enter a long pelagic phase, drifting in open water. Mature males have significantly higher dorsal fins than females.
Fish and people
Commercial fisheries target this species for its mild-tasting, slightly oily flesh. Bottom trawling is the primary fishing method. Catches reached 4,364 tonnes in 2007. Historic overfishing led to massive landings of over 168,000 tonnes in 1978. The FAO considers the species depleted due to this history. However, the Marine Stewardship Council certified the Heard Island fishery as sustainable in 2006. This certification indicates well-managed stocks in that specific region.
Status and threats
The FAO lists the species as depleted because of past overexploitation. Despite this general status, specific fisheries have achieved sustainability certification. The Heard Island Mackerel Icefish fishery has held Marine Stewardship Council certification since 2006. This suggests that management measures in certain areas have helped recover stocks. No global IUCN Red List status is provided in the available data.
Questions people ask about Mackerel icefish
Where does the mackerel icefish live?
It lives in the Southern Ocean and southern Atlantic. Key areas include South Georgia, Îles Kerguelen, and Heard Island. It is found at depths up to 700 metres.
What does the mackerel icefish eat?
It primarily eats krill, which makes up most of its diet in southern regions. It also consumes mysids and myctophid fish in some areas.
Is the mackerel icefish fishery sustainable?
The FAO considers the species depleted overall. However, the Heard Island fishery has been certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council since 2006.
Good reading and sources
- Mackerel icefish on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Mackerel icefish", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryFish rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes, and figures change over time. Nothing here is investment or buying advice. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-11-15.
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