Is Jack mackerel WIC-eligible?
No. Jack mackerel is the scientific common name for Trachurus symmetricus; a number of other species are also commonly called Jack mackerel. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Jack mackerel is distinct from the two mackerel speciesChub Pacific (Scomber japonicus) and N. Atlantic (Scomber scombrus) that are authorized in the interim rule. The authorized mackerel species in the interim rule were chosen because they are lower in mercury. FDA has recently advised FNS that they do not have information on the mercury content of Jack mackerel; therefore, Jack mackerel cannot be authorized as a WIC-eligible canned fish.
