Jewish list of clean fish - List

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Learn about kosher fish guidelines: scales are the key sign for determining clean fish. Discover what s considered kosher when buying fish for a kosher diet.

List of Kosher Fish

The rules from the Vayikra 11:9, show the way, it states this; you may eat of all that is in the water, everything that has fins and scales, this also mentioned, in the Talmud where it states that every fish with scales also has fins. (Chullin. 66b).
It was said by the Old Testament Patriarch Moses, these you may eat, of all that are in the water: whatever in the water has fins and scales, whether in the seas or in the rivers, that you may eat. But all in the seas or in the rivers that do not have fins and scales, all that move in the water or any living thing which is in the water, they are an abomination to you. They shall be an abomination to you; you shall not eat their flesh, and you shall regard their carcasses as an abomination. Whatever in the water does not have fins and scales, it shall be an abomination to you. (Leviticus 11:9-12).
It was Moses ben Nachman commonly known as Nachmanides or Ramban who said the scales of a kosher fish must be able to be removed either by hand or by knife without damaging the underlying skin. All authorities of Jewish law universally accepted this opinion in his time hence this list.
The law therefore means, fish like catfish, eel, lamprey, hagfish, crustaceans molluscs and lancelet, oysters, clams, shrimp, crawfish, lobster, squid, and octopus are not kosher as they do not have true scales and that most sea mammals and aquatic reptiles are also excluded as they do not have scales.
Below is a list of common fish with scales, best though to get an opinion from a fish expert who is a religious Jew. If he can recognize the fish species, and the religious Jew can see the skin of the fish is still attached that is a start, the skinning machinery you may also need to check if not skinning yourself, this is can usually be advised by your local Orthodox rabbi.

Jewish list of clean fish

Albacore.

Alewife.

Anchovies.

Angelfish and butterfly fish.

Atlantic Pomfret or Rays Bream.

Barracudas.

Bass.

Bigmouth sole.

Blackfish.

Blue whiting or poutassou.

Bluefish or snapper blue.

Bluegill.

Bonefish.

Butterfish.

Caviar (from a kosher fish).

Codfish.

Diamond turbot.

Dolphin fish.

Dover sole.

English sole.

Fantail sole.

Flounders (includes halibuts, soles and turbots, not including European turbot).

Greenland turbot or halibut.

Haddock.

Halibut.

Herrings.

Lake Herring.

Largemouth bass.

Mackerels.

Mahi mahi.

Marlin.

Mullets.

Pacific turbot.

Perches, includes pike perch, sauger, walleye, yellow perch, and yellow or blue pike.

Pikes, includes pickerels and muskellunge.

Pollock.

Porgies and sea breams, includes pinfish, scup, and sheepshead.

Sablefish or black cod.

Salmon.

Sardines.

Scorpionfish.

Sea bass.

Sea chubs, includes Bermuda chug or rudderfish, halfmoon, and opaleye.

Smelts, includes capelin and eulachon.

Tarpon.

Tautog.

Temperate basses (includes giant California sea bass,striped bass or rockfish, yellow bass, white bass, and white perch).