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Is Alewife kosher?

Yes — Alewife is kosher under Jewish dietary law.

Alewife has fins and scales, which are the two requirements for kosher fish under Jewish dietary law (Leviticus 11:9-12).

Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus)

Image: Photo by Hans Hillewaert · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Scientific name
Alosa pseudoharengus
Also known as
River Herring, Sawbelly, Grayback, Kyack
Habitat
Atlantic coast, freshwater lakes and rivers
Kosher status
Kosher

About Alewife

See: Herrings Alosa is a genus of fish, the river herrings, in the family Alosidae. Along with other genera in the subfamily Alosinae, they are generally known as shads. They are distinct from other herrings by having a deeper body and spawning in rivers. Several species can be found on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Also, several taxa occur in the brackish-water Caspian Sea and the Black Sea basin. Many are found in fresh water during spawning and some are only found in landlocked fresh water. Alosa is a genus of fish, the river herrings, in the family Alosidae. Along with other genera in the subfamily Alosinae, they are generally known as shads. They are distinct from other herrings by having a deeper body and spawning in rivers. Several species can be found on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Also, several taxa occur in the brackish-water Caspian Sea and the Black Sea basin. Many are found in fresh water during spawning and some are only found in landlocked fresh water. Appearance Alosa species are generally dark on the back and top of the head, with blue, violet, or greenish tints. Some can be identified as having a grey or green back. Spots are commonly found behind the head, and the fins may vary from species to species or individually. Most species of Alosa weigh 300 g (11 oz) or less, with A. pontica and A. fallax weighing up to 2 kg, and A. alosa can exceed 3–4 kg. Biology Shads are thought to be unique among the fishes in having evolved an ability to detect ultrasound (at frequencies above 20 kHz, which is the limit of human hearing). This was first discovered by fisheries biologists studying a type of shad known as blueback...

Source: kosherfish.co/kosher-fish-list (snapshot 2025-12-19); Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0); Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)

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