Mackerel
Scientific name Scombridae
Mackerel are fast, streamlined pelagic fish built for life in open water. With torpedo-shaped bodies, forked tails and metallic silver flanks often marked with stripes or bars, they are designed for speed and endurance.
Around Koh Tao, smaller species such as the Indian Mackerel (Rastrelliger kanagurta) may appear in large, tightly packed schools, especially when baitfish are abundant. Larger species like the Narrow-barred Spanish Mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson) are powerful solitary hunters or move in small groups, patrolling reef edges and offshore pinnacles.
Mackerel are most often seen in mid-water or out in the blue, particularly on deeper dive sites with current between 10–30 metres. Their sudden bursts of acceleration and coordinated schooling behaviour make them an exciting sight for divers scanning beyond the reef.
They are important mid-to-top-level predators and a key link between small plankton-feeding fish and larger apex predators.
Find Mackerel at...
Divemaster's tip
Spend time looking into open water rather than focusing solely on coral structures. Mackerel often cruise just beyond the reef.
If you notice smaller baitfish tightening into dense schools, scan for approaching predators — mackerel may be on the hunt.
What do they eat?
Mackerel feed on smaller fish, squid and plankton depending on species.
Their speed, sharp vision and coordinated hunting strategies make them highly efficient predators in Koh Tao’s offshore marine ecosystem.
