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Is Mackerel kosher?

Yes — Mackerel is kosher under Jewish dietary law.

Snake Mackerel is Not Kosher

Mackerel (Scomber scombrus (Atlantic) / various species)

Image: Photo by Unknown author Unknown author · licensed Public domain · source

Scientific name
Scomber scombrus (Atlantic) / various species
Hebrew name
מקרל
Also known as
Atlantic Mackerel, Pacific Mackerel, King Mackerel, Spanish Mackerel, Wahoo
Habitat
Atlantic, Pacific, Mediterranean, open ocean
Kosher status
Kosher

About Mackerel

See also: Jacks The king mackerel (Scomberomorus cavalla) surmayi or kingfish, is a migratory species of mackerel of the western Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. It is an important species to both the commercial and recreational fishing industries. The king mackerel (Scomberomorus cavalla) surmayi or kingfish, is a migratory species of mackerel of the western Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. It is an important species to both the commercial and recreational fishing industries. Description The king mackerel is a medium-sized fish, typically encountered from 5 kg (11 lb) to 14 kg (30 lb), but is known to exceed 40 kg (90 lb). The entire body is covered with very small, hardly visible, loosely attached scales. The first (spiny) dorsal fin is entirely colorless and is normally folded back into a body groove, as are the pelvic fins. The lateral line starts high on the shoulder, dips abruptly at mid-body and then continues as a wavy horizontal line to the tail. Coloration is olive on the back, fading to silver with a rosy iridescence on the sides, fading to white on the belly. Fish under 5 kg (11 lb) show yellowish-brown spots on the flanks, somewhat smaller than the spots of the Atlantic Spanish mackerel, Scomberomorus maculatus. Its cutting-edged teeth are large, uniform, closely spaced and flattened from side to side. These teeth look very similar to those of the bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix. Distribution and habitat...

Kosher ruling

Snake Mackerel is Not Kosher

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

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