Diet analysis of mackerel (Scomber japonicus houttuyn,1782) in the Moroccan Atlantic coast (Safi,Essaouira,Agadir,Tarfaya) [Analyse du régime alimentaire du maquereau (Scomber japonicus houttuyn,1782) dans la côte Atlantique Marocaine (Safi,Essaouira,Agadir,Tarfaya)]

The diet of mackerel (s.japonicus) was studied by analyzing the stomach content of 80 individuals in four different sites: safi,essaouira,agadir and tarfaya along the moroccan atlantic coast. data analysis of the stomach contents was made by three methods: the importance index ai,the food index of geistdoerfer q,and the graphical method of amundsen (1996). the results show that mackerel is a piscivorous. its diet also includes copepods,amphipods,cephalopods,gastropods,bivalves,euphausids,cladocerans,cnidarians,and appendiceal. the food index of geistdoerfer showed that mackerel has five main preys,which two are preferred: fish and copepods,and three are occasional: amphipods,gastropods and bivalves. the graphical analysis confirmed the results found by the food index of geistdoerfer. mackerel shows a double food strategy: the specialization strategy for fish and generalization strategy for other prey.