Fish vs. Seafood: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
Fish refers specifically to aquatic animals with gills and fins, while seafood encompasses all edible marine life, including fish, mollusks, crustaceans, and more.
Key Differences
Fish are aquatic vertebrates with gills and usually fins and scales. They are a specific category within seafood. Seafood, however, includes not only fish but also other marine life like shellfish, mollusks, and crustaceans.
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Dec 01, 2023
When discussing fish, we refer specifically to creatures like salmon, trout, and tuna. Seafood extends this range to include shrimp, oysters, crabs, and even sometimes seaweed and other edible marine plants.
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Dec 01, 2023
Fish is a term used both in a culinary context and in biological classification. Seafood is more of a culinary term, encompassing a broader range of edible marine products.
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Dec 01, 2023
In dietary contexts, people who eat fish but not other types of seafood are called pescatarians. The term doesn’t apply to those who consume seafood in general, which includes a wider variety of marine life.
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Dec 01, 2023
Fish has been a staple in many diets and cultures throughout history, often symbolizing abundance. Seafood, with its diverse range, represents not only a food source but also a vital part of the world's ecosystem.
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Dec 01, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Aquatic vertebrates with gills and fins
All edible marine life, including fish
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Dec 01, 2023
Types Included
Salmon, trout, cod, etc.
Fish, shellfish, mollusks, crustaceans
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Dec 01, 2023
Biological Classification
Specific category within animal kingdom
Broad category encompassing various life
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Dec 01, 2023
Usage in Diets
Eaten by pescatarians, a staple in many diets
Includes a wider range, integral in various cuisines
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Dec 01, 2023
Fish and Seafood Definitions
Fish
A creature harvested for food or sport from aquatic environments.
For dinner, they served fish, specifically grilled salmon.
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Dec 01, 2023
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Seafood
Edible marine creatures including fish, mollusks, crustaceans, and sometimes plants.
The restaurant's specialty was seafood, particularly lobster and oysters.
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Dec 01, 2023
Fish
Used metaphorically to describe someone new to an environment or activity.
Being new to the office, he felt like a fish out of water.
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Dec 01, 2023
Seafood
A category of food derived from marine life other than mammals.
Seafood paella is a popular dish that combines various marine delicacies.
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Dec 01, 2023
Fish
Any of numerous cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates characteristically having fins, gills, and a streamlined body and including the bony fishes, such as catfishes and tunas, and the cartilaginous fishes, such as sharks and rays.
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Seafood
A source of high-quality protein and other nutrients, popular in coastal regions.
His diet mainly consisted of seafood, rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
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Dec 01, 2023
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Fish
Any of various jawless aquatic craniates, including the lampreys and hagfishes.
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Oct 19, 2023
Seafood
Used in the culinary context to refer to dishes made with marine animals.
At the buffet, the seafood station was the most popular, with its fresh sushi and sashimi.
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Dec 01, 2023
Seafood
Often considered a delicacy in various cuisines, encompassing a broad range of flavors.
For the holiday feast, they prepared an array of seafood, including shrimp and scallops.
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Dec 01, 2023
Fish
(Informal) A person, especially one considered deficient in something
A poor fish.
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Oct 19, 2023
Fish
To look for something by feeling one's way; grope
Fished in both pockets for a coin.
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Oct 19, 2023
Seafood
Edible fish (broadly including freshwater fish) or shellfish or roe etc
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Oct 19, 2023
Fish
To catch or pull as if fishing
Deftly fished the corn out of the boiling water.
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Oct 19, 2023
Fish
(countable) A cold-blooded vertebrate animal that lives in water, moving with the help of fins and breathing with gills.
Salmon is a fish.
The fishmonger sells fishes from all over the world.
Ichthyologists study the fish of the world.
We have many fish in our aquarium.
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Oct 19, 2023
Fish
(uncountable) The flesh of the fish used as food.
The seafood pasta had lots of fish but not enough pasta.
Though Lena is a vegetarian, she doesn't have any problem with eating fish.
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Oct 19, 2023
Fish
(uncountable) A card game in which the object is to obtain cards in pairs or sets of four (depending on the variation), by asking the other players for cards of a particular rank.
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Oct 19, 2023
Fish
A makeshift overlapping longitudinal brace, originally shaped roughly like a fish, used to temporarily repair or extend a spar or mast of a ship.
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Oct 19, 2023
Fish
(zoology) A paraphyletic grouping of the following extant taxonomic groups:
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Oct 19, 2023
Fish
Within infraphylum Gnathostomata (jawed vertebrates (also including Tetrapoda))
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Oct 19, 2023
Fish
A period of time spent fishing.
The fish at the lake didn't prove successful.
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Oct 19, 2023
Fish
An instance of seeking something.
Merely two fishes for information told the whole story.
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Oct 19, 2023
Fish
(intransitive) To hunt fish or other aquatic animals in a body of water.
We went fishing for crabs by the pier.
She went to the river to fish for trout.
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Oct 19, 2023
Fish
(transitive) To search (a body of water) for something other than fish.
They fished the surrounding lakes for the dead body.
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Oct 19, 2023
Fish
(intransitive) To (attempt to) find or get hold of an object by searching among other objects.
Why are you fishing through my things?
He was fishing for the keys in his pocket.
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Oct 19, 2023
Fish
To talk to people in an attempt to get them to say something, or seek to obtain something by artifice.
The detective visited the local pubs fishing around for more information.
The actors loitered at the door, fishing for compliments.
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Oct 19, 2023
Fish
To repair (a spar or mast) by fastening a beam or other long object (often called a fish) over the damaged part (see Noun above).
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Oct 19, 2023
Fish
A name loosely applied in popular usage to many animals of diverse characteristics, living in the water.
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Oct 19, 2023
Fish
An oviparous, vertebrate animal usually having fins and a covering scales or plates. It breathes by means of gills, and lives almost entirely in the water. See Pisces.
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Oct 19, 2023
Fish
To attempt to catch fish; to be employed in taking fish, by any means, as by angling or drawing a net.
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Oct 19, 2023
Fish
To seek to obtain by artifice, or indirectly to seek to draw forth; as, to fish for compliments.
Any other fishing question.
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Oct 19, 2023
Fish
Any of various mostly cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates usually having scales and breathing through gills;
The shark is a large fish
In the livingroom there was a tank of colorful fish
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Oct 19, 2023
Fish
The flesh of fish used as food;
In Japan most fish is eaten raw
After the scare about foot-and-mouth disease a lot of people started eating fish instead of meat
They have a chef who specializes in fish
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Oct 19, 2023
Fish
The twelfth sign of the zodiac; the sun is in this sign from about February 19 to March 20
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Fish
Catch or try to catch fish or shellfish;
I like to go fishing on weekends
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Oct 19, 2023
Fish
A cold-blooded vertebrate animal that lives in water, has fins and gills.
He caught a large fish in the lake, which turned out to be a bass.
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Dec 01, 2023
Fish
A term used to refer to a single species or an individual within that species.
The aquarium had an exotic fish from the Amazon.
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Dec 01, 2023
Fish
In card games, a term used for the act of drawing a card.
She decided to fish for a heart to complete her set.
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Dec 01, 2023
Repeatedly Asked Queries
Are shellfish considered fish?
No, shellfish like shrimp and oysters are not fish; they are part of the broader seafood category.
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Dec 01, 2023
Can seafood include freshwater organisms?
Yes, seafood can include both marine and freshwater organisms like fish and shellfish.
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Dec 01, 2023
Are fish farms a part of the seafood industry?
Yes, fish farms are a significant part of the seafood industry, providing a large portion of the market's fish.
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Dec 01, 2023
Is all fish considered seafood?
Yes, all fish fall under the broader category of seafood.
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Dec 01, 2023
Is seafood more expensive than fish?
This can vary widely depending on the type of seafood and fish, as well as the location.
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Dec 01, 2023
Is seafood healthier than just eating fish?
Seafood, in general, offers a variety of nutrients, but the healthiness depends on the specific type and preparation.
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Dec 01, 2023
Are there regions where seafood is more prominent in the diet?
Yes, coastal regions typically have a diet more rich in seafood.
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Dec 01, 2023
Is it safe to eat raw fish and seafood?
Eating raw fish and seafood is safe if they are fresh and properly handled, though there are health risks.
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Dec 01, 2023
Are there people who eat fish but not other seafood?
Yes, some people prefer to eat only fish and avoid other types of seafood.
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Dec 01, 2023
Can someone be allergic to seafood but not fish?
Yes, it's possible to be allergic to certain types of seafood and not to fish.
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Dec 01, 2023
How does the taste of fish compare to other seafood?
Fish often have a milder taste compared to some stronger-flavored seafood like certain shellfish.
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Dec 01, 2023
Can seafood be a part of a weight-loss diet?
Yes, many types of seafood are low in fat and high in protein, making them suitable for weight-loss diets.
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Dec 01, 2023
Are there sustainable ways to consume seafood and fish?
Yes, there are sustainable practices for both seafood and fish consumption, focusing on preserving marine ecosystems.
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Dec 01, 2023
Can vegetarians eat fish or seafood?
Generally, vegetarians don't eat fish or seafood; those who do are called pescatarians.
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Dec 01, 2023
Are there any religious restrictions on eating fish or seafood?
Certain religions have specific guidelines regarding the consumption of fish and seafood.
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Dec 01, 2023
What's the environmental impact of seafood consumption?
Seafood consumption impacts the environment in various ways, including overfishing and habitat destruction.
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Dec 01, 2023
What is the most popular fish in seafood cuisine?
Popular fish in seafood cuisine include salmon, tuna, and cod.
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Dec 01, 2023
Can fish and other seafood be cooked in the same way?
While there are common cooking methods, some seafood requires specific preparation techniques.
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Dec 01, 2023
Do all cultures consume seafood?
Most cultures include some form of seafood in their cuisine, though the types and preparation methods vary.
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Dec 01, 2023
Is frozen seafood as good as fresh?
Frozen seafood can be a good alternative to fresh, especially if it's frozen shortly after being caught.
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Dec 01, 2023
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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