Rastrelliger faughni
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_mackerel
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Rastrelliger faughni faces severe pressure from intensive commercial fishing throughout its range, with populations declining due to overexploitation by both industrial and artisanal fisheries. The species is particularly vulnerable to purse seine and gillnet operations that target pelagic schooling fish in Southeast Asian waters. Habitat degradation from coastal development and pollution in nearshore spawning areas further compounds population stress.
Habitat
This pelagic mackerel inhabits tropical and subtropical marine waters of the Indo-Pacific, typically found in coastal and offshore waters from the surface to depths of 200 meters. The species forms large schools in open ocean environments and moves to nearshore areas for spawning and feeding.
