It was originally thought to be a subspecies of the chub mackerel Scomber japonicus colias.

The fish releases its own oil into the salt packing and acquires a very long shelf life.

In the islands of the Aegean, it is a particularly popular delicacy, under the name goúna: fresh-caught mackerel is split open at the belly, eviscerated, and left to dry flesh-side up in the sun for one day.

[citation needed] Along the eastern seaboard of North America Atlantic chub mackerel were not the target of directed commercial fisheries until 2013 when commercial trawlers began targeting them because of a lack of squid.

Although it is heavily fished in places, the population seems relatively stable and the IUCN has listed this species as Least Concern.