Ask A Scientist Zoology Archive

name         Roger T.
status       student
age          30s

Question -   Hi, my mother will not eat any fish that does not have scales, can you tell 
me what fish has scales, or the fish that do not have scales, which ever list is shorter? 
We have a long standing argument about this and would love to have it finally put to rest.

You sent us on quite a search.  It would be difficult to give complete lists of either.
Solution:
It turns out that religious Jews follow biblical dietary codes that require that all fish 
eaten must have fins and scales.
The following reliable site has a fast primer on this, about 10% scroll down the page.  
(We have found many sites that are not very reliable, so be careful!)
http://www.ou.org/kosher/primer.html

Common commercial fish (but certainly not ALL of the kinds of fish in the world) are 
listed at the following reliable source:
http://www.kashrut.com/articles/fish/

On packaged fish, if one of the following copyrighted symbols appears on the packaging, 
many consider it to be trustworthy in following biblical dietary codes.
http://www.kashrut.com/agencies/

We hope this helps!

Nathan A. Unterman 
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Answer: In the Jewish religion, kosher dietary laws permit the eating of fish with fins 
and scales, but not fish without both fins and scales. Seafoods such as shellfish, shrimp 
or lobster are also forbidden. The following is adapted from a list by an organization 
responsible for certifying foods as being kosher. The list is not complete, but is a 
useful guideline to those fish most commonly available.

Kosher Fish (with fins and easily removable scales):  Albacore, Bass, Buffalo Fish, Carp, 
Cape Capensis, Char Cod, Flounder, Goldfish, Grouper, Haddock, Halibut, Herring, Mackerel, 
Mahi Mahi, Orange Roughy, Perch, Pike, Pollock, Salmon, Sardines, Snapper, Sole, Suckers, 
Tilapia, Trout, Tuna, Walleye, Whitefish, Whiting.

Non-Kosher Fish (this list is not comprehensive):  Catfish, Eels, Grayfish, Marlin, Shark, 
Snake Mackerels, Squab, Sturgeons, Swordfish.

Sarina Kopinsky, MSc, H.Dip.Ed.
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