Welcome to KosherFish.co — the most complete online reference for kosher fish identification. This site was built to answer a simple question reliably: is this fish kosher? Every species in our database is cross-referenced against the published lists of the two most widely cited halachic authorities on kosher fish, the Orthodox Union and Chabad, so you can verify a fish at the grocery counter, sushi bar, or in your own kitchen with confidence.
About the Founder
My name is Eric Rosenberg, and I’m the founder and editor of KosherFish.co. I’m an author and personal finance expert with more than fifteen years of bylines in major outlets, including Forbes Advisor, Investopedia, U.S. News & World Report, TIME, Business Insider, and Reader’s Digest. I’m a committed Jew maintaining a kosher diet in Southern California, and I built this site out of a personal need that nobody else had solved well: a fast, sourced, plain-English reference to look up whether a specific fish meets the requirements of Jewish dietary law.
I’m not a rabbi. I don’t issue halachic rulings, and this site doesn’t either. What I bring is decades of reporting experience, a long history of operating sourced reference sites (including Personal Profitability, Freelancer Dashboard, and What’s Vegetarian), and a deep personal stake in getting the answers right.
Our Methodology
The kosher determination for each species on KosherFish.co is the product of cross-referencing multiple primary halachic authorities:
- Orthodox Union (OU) — the largest and most influential kosher certification agency in North America. Their consumer kosher fish guide sets the standard followed by most Orthodox Jews in the United States.
- Chabad — global Hasidic movement publishing widely consulted lists of kosher and non-kosher fish at chabad.org.
- Chicago Rabbinical Council (cRc) — a major regional kosher certification body whose consumer guides are widely cited.
- Star-K Kosher Certification — another nationally recognized agency whose positions on contested species (sturgeon, swordfish) generally align with the OU.
Where the major authorities agree, we report a clear “kosher” or “not kosher” answer. Where they meaningfully disagree — most notably on swordfish and sturgeon — we explain the dispute and note the positions of each authority so you can make an informed decision in consultation with your own rabbi.
The underlying Torah requirement is short: a fish must have both fins and scales to be kosher (Leviticus 11:9–12, repeated in Deuteronomy 14:9–10). The complexity is in the application — what counts as a qualifying scale, what to do when a species’ scale structure is contested, and how to handle processed products. Our What Makes a Fish Kosher article walks through the halachic framework in detail.
How We Source Our Data
The KosherFish.co database currently covers more than 290 fish species across 57 families — broader coverage than any other free kosher reference we’re aware of. Each entry includes the common name, scientific name (Latin binomial), any common aliases (regional names, market names), the kosher determination with sources, and a plain-language explanation.
When a species’ kosher status appears in multiple authoritative sources, we use the conservative position — typically the OU’s — as our default. When you visit a species page (e.g. Atlantic Salmon or Swordfish), you’ll see the determination plus context: the scientific name for unambiguous identification, the Hebrew name where applicable, common aliases that might trip you up at a counter, and notes about preparation issues like canning or kosher certification.
We update species entries when new authoritative guidance is published. If you spot an error or have a question about a specific species, please reach out — corrections from rabbis, kashrut professionals, and informed consumers are always welcome.
A Reference Tool, Not a Substitute for Your Rabbi
This is the most important point on this page: KosherFish.co is a reference tool. It is not a substitute for direct rabbinical guidance.
For everyday questions (“is salmon kosher?”), the cross-referenced authorities we cite give a definitive answer that you can rely on. For edge cases, contested species, processed products with unclear ingredients, or any halachic question that depends on your personal situation or community’s practice, please consult a qualified Orthodox rabbi. We provide sourced information so you know which questions are settled and which still require rabbinical guidance — but we don’t replace that guidance.
Site History
KosherFish.co launched in 2016 as a simple, free, ad-light reference site. Companion native apps for iPhone/iPad and Android followed, putting the same lookup tool on your phone for offline use at the grocery store or restaurant. In 2026, the site was rebuilt on a new platform with expanded species coverage, full halachic schema markup, and rigorous primary-source citations throughout — the version you’re reading now.
The site has always been free, and we intend to keep it that way. There are no paywalls, no logins required, and no data harvesting. Your search history is your own.
Connect with Eric
I’m always glad to hear from readers — corrections, questions, suggestions, or just to say hello.
- Personal site: EricRosenberg.com
- Links / contact: eric.money
- X / Twitter: @EricRosenberg1
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ericrosenberg
- GitHub: github.com/ericrosenberg1
See all of Eric’s posts and full author credentials on the author archive.
Explore KosherFish.co
Start with the Complete Kosher Fish List — 57 families and over 200 common names, cross-referenced with the Orthodox Union and CRC. Or read What Makes a Fish Kosher? to understand the fins-and-scales rule in detail. For practical guidance, the Complete Guide to Kosher Fish covers certification, contested species like swordfish, and how to verify fish at any counter.