More Classification of Fish and Shellfish

The majority of the fish eaten in the United States are taken from salty waters, but many also come from fresh-water lakes, ponds, and streams. Saltwater fish often have a more distinct flavor than freshwater fish. Sole, however, is a very mild-flavored saltwater fish, and is one of several exceptions to the taste generalization. Some saltwater fish other than sole are halibut, cod, flounder, haddock, mackerel, red snapper, salmon, shark, striped bass, swordfish, and tuna. Catfish, perch, pike, and trout are the most common freshwater varieties.

Lean or Fat

Fish are sometimes identified by their fat content, but in this case, “fat” is a relative term. Fish are not very fatty compared to most other meats. Fat content in a 3-ounce cooked portion is less than 2.5 grams in lean fish (less than 5 percent fat) which includes cod, pike, haddock, flounder, sole, whiting, red snapper, halibut, and bass. The same portion of fatty fish (more than 5 percent fat) yields 5 to 10+ grams of fat. Examples include salmon, mackerel, lake trout, tuna, butterfish, whitefish, and herring.