Manatee is not kosher according to Jewish dietary law. A marine mammal, not a fish. Mammals are kosher only if they both chew the cud and have split hooves, which manatee does not, so it is not kosher.

What is the scientific name of Manatee?

The scientific name of Manatee is Trichechus.

Does Manatee have fins and scales?

Manatee does not meet the requirement of having both fins and removable scales. Leviticus 11:9-12 requires fish to have both fins and scales to be considered kosher.

Can I eat Manatee sushi or sashimi?

No. Since Manatee is not kosher, it should not be consumed in any preparation, including sushi or sashimi.

Where can I find more information about whether Manatee is kosher?

KosherFish.co references the Orthodox Union (OU) and Chabad lists of kosher and non-kosher fish. For specific halachic questions, consult your local Orthodox rabbi.

Manatee

Trichechus

Not Kosher

No fins or scales

Fins No

Scales No

Description

Manatees are large, slow-moving marine mammals of warm, shallow coastal waters, rivers, and estuaries. The West Indian manatee lives in the southeastern United States, the Caribbean, and along the coasts of Central and South America.

Manatee in foreign languages

Scientific	Trichechus
Hebrew	תחש נהרות
Arabic	خروف البحر
Spanish	Manatí
Portuguese	Peixe-boi
French	Lamantin
Italian	Trichecus
German	Rundschwanzseekühe
Greek	Μανάτος
Russian	Ламантины
Turkish	Manatigiller
Chinese	海牛屬
Japanese	マナティー
Korean	매너티
Hindi	मैनाटी
Bengali	বৈঠালেজি জলধেনু
Vietnamese	Lợn biển
Thai	พะยูนแมนนาที
Indonesian	Lembu Laut

Warnings & Kosher Issues

A manatee is a mammal, not a fish, so it is not kosher.
Manatees are protected in the United States under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act.
Sometimes called sea cows, they are unrelated to any fish.