About KosherFish

KosherFish is a free reference for Jewish consumers, fishmongers, restaurateurs, and anyone who's ever stared at a menu wondering. One question, one clear answer: is this fish kosher?

The rule

Jewish dietary law (kashrut) permits fish that have both fins and scales (Leviticus 11:9-12). If either is missing, the fish is not kosher. For scales, halacha specifically requires the removable kind — scales that come off cleanly without tearing the skin. Shellfish have neither and are categorically excluded.

How we source answers

Every ruling on this site is cross-referenced against the three most-cited English-language authorities:

• Orthodox Union (OU Kosher)
• Chabad.org
• Aish HaTorah

When authorities disagree — swordfish and sturgeon are the classic examples — we flag the dispute in the fish's kosher notes and default to the stricter Orthodox position.

How the site is built

The site is pre-rendered as static HTML and served from Cloudflare's global edge. Fish data comes from our own small API at api.kosherfish.co, which also powers the Android app. There's no WordPress, no database query per page view, no bloat — pages load in under a second on mobile networks.

Images

Fish photos are used under permissive public-domain and Creative Commons licenses. Each image credits its photographer and links back to its source, as required by the license.

Who runs it

KosherFish is independently maintained by Eric Rosenberg. Corrections, additions, and questions are welcome on the contact page.

Disclaimer

This site is a reference, not halachic authority. If a ruling matters to you, confirm with your rabbi, your local Vaad, or the certifying agency printed on the package.