Difference between fin fish and shell fish

As nouns the difference between shellfish and finfish is that shellfish is an aquatic invertebrate, such as
a mollusc or crustacean, that has a shell, especially as food while finfish is any fish, but especially fish
other than flatfish

Two classification of fin fish

There are three major groups of finfish: superclass Agnatha (jawless fish), class Chondrichthyes

(cartilaginous fish), and class Osteichthyes (bony fish).

There are 105 known species of fish in the Superclass Agnatha. These are the most primitive fish that

still live today. The fish lack a jaw, have cylindrical and elongated bodies (like Eels or snakes), lack

scales, and have no paired fins. Agnathan fish like the Hagfish and Lamprey use suction to feed with

their round, muscular mouth and primarily live along the seafloor. There are few commercial uses for

agnathan fish. However, a fishery for Hagfish, called slime eels, has recently developed in central

California. The fish are packaged and exported to Korea.

Two classification of shell fish

Shellfish are mainly categorized into crustaceans and molluscs.

Crustaceans:

As the name suggests, these have crusts on top or a shell, which act as an armour. Shellfish have a
pigment called ‘astaxanthin’, which on contact with heat turns into a coral red colour, which is much
desirable for shellfish. Unlike fish, shellfish do not have any cuts associated with them.

They are either cooked in the shell or out of the shell depending upon the end product desired.

Molluscs:

Molluscs are shellfish that have a hard inedible shell. They are classified into three other subgroups—
gastropods or univalves, bivalves, and cephalopods.

1. Gastropods:

These molluscs have a single shell. They are also known as univalves.

2. Bivalves:

These shellfish are covered by two shells or valves.

3. Cephalopods:

Cephalopod means shellfish that have legs over their heads. They are closely related to the snail family
but the only difference is that they do not have external shells like the snails; instead they have internal
shells that are made from a spongy material.
The most common cephalopods are cuttle fish and squids. They have a bulbous head which contains a
mouth and two jaws. Tentacles on the head are used for locomotion and they are also covered with
suckers. Octopus is an exception as it does not contain any cartilaginous bone but has eight sets of
tentacles.

A black coloured fluid is emitted by them to create a smoke screen from the predator. This is commonly
known as ‘squid ink’ and is used for making dyes and medicines. It is also used as a colouring agent in
kitchens, especially to colour pasta dough to create black coloured pasta.

Parts of the fish

List of Different Parts of A Fish

Scales

Eyes

Nostril

Mouth

Gill

Dorsal fins

Lateral line

Caudal fin

Pectoral fin

Pelvic fin

Fish Anatomy with Their Functions

Scales

Scales protect fish from injury, much like skin on the human body.

Eyes

The eyes of a fish have large round pupils which do not vary in size.

Nostril

They lead into organs of smell which are as a rule, very sensitive, so that a fish can detect the presence
of food in the water at considerable distances.

Mouth

The mouth serves for taking in food; also for the breathing current of water.

Gills

A fish “breathes” by closing the gills and opening its mouth to take in water
Lateral line

Used to feel low vibrations in the water

Fin: Caudal fin, Pectoral fin, Pelvic fin, Dorsal fins

Fins are usually the most distinctive anatomical features of a fish. Fins located in different places on the
fish serve different purposes such as moving forward, turning, keeping an upright position or stopping.
Most fish use fins when swimming, flying fish use pectoral fins for gliding, and frogfish use them for
crawling
Different market forms of seafood

Fresh or Frozen Fin Fish Market Forms

How much fish should be purchased depends on the market form. The fresh or frozen market forms
include:

Whole – the fish just as it comes from the water. Most recipes indicating whole fish actually mean whole
dressed fish.

Drawn – a whole fish with its internal organs removed.

Dressed or pan-dressed – fish that is scaled and that has its internal organs removed. The head, tail, and
fins have usually been removed. It is ready to cook.

Fillets – the fleshy sides of the fish, cut lengthwise from the fish along the backbone. They are usually
boneless, although in some fish small bones called “pins” may be present; skin may be present on one
side, too. Butterfly fillets may be available. This refers to two fillets held together by the uncut flesh and
skin of the belly.

Steaks – the cross-section slices of large dressed fish that may have a section of the backbone still
remaining. Steaks are usually one-half to one inch thick.

Sticks and portions – are pieces of fish cut from blocks of frozen fillets into portions at least 3/8-inch
thick. Both sticks and portions are available in fried form ready to heat or frozen raw, coated with batter
and breaded, ready to be cooked.

Chunks – are cross-sections of large dressed fish with usually a cross section of the backbone.

Fish cakes – are prepared from flaked fish, potatoes, and seasonings, and shaped into cakes, coated with
batter, breaded, and then packaged and frozen, ready-to-be-cooked.

Canned Fin Fish Market Forms

The most commonly sold canned fish products include salmon, tuna, Maine sardines, and mackerel.

Salmon - is canned on the Pacific coast. It is usually sold by the name of the species which differ in:

color,

texture, and

flavor.

The higher priced varieties are deeper in color and have a higher oil content than the less costly types.
Salmon is graded in descending order as:

red or sockeye;

chinook or king;

medium red, coho, or silver salmon;

pink salmon;
chum or keta.

Maine sardines – are small immature sea herring that are packed in oil, mustard, or tomato sauce. They
are canned in Maine.

Mackerel – is processed in California and can be one of two types, Jack or Pacific. Mackerel is packed in
brine or tomato sauce.

Tuna – is produced from six species of tuna. Albacore, a lighter meat than the others, is the only tuna
labeled white-meat tuna. It is also the most expensive. The other species, yellowfin, blackfin, bluefin,
and shipjack, are labeled light-meat tuna. There are three pack styles of canned fish in descending order
of cost:

Fancy or solid – usually contains three or four large pieces packed in oil or water; ideal for cold plates.

Chunk – convenient-sized pieces packed in oil or water; especially adaptable for salads;

Flaked – smaller pieces than chunk style packed in oil or water; useful in dips, sandwich fillings, or
casseroles.

Grated – smaller pieces than flaked style packed in oil or water; especially adaptable for dips and
sandwich fillings or casseroles.

Gefilte fish – are balls or oval cakes prepared from whitefish, carp, pike, cereal, eggs, and seasonings.
They are packed in jars which are filled with fish stock and processed.

How to check the freshness of the fish

There are definite signs that fish is fresh. Fresh fish should have a mild scent and moist flesh, and appear
freshly cut. Don't purchase fish that has a strong, fishy odor. Whole fish should have bright, bulging eyes
and bright red or pink gills. Frozen fish should meet the fresh-smell test and have taut packaging with no
evidence of ice or blood. Fresh fish is best used right away. Or, you can store it for up to two days in the
coldest part of the refrigerator. Frozen fish will keep in its original wrapping, frozen at 0 degrees or
lower, for up to 3 months.

How to check the freshness of shell fish

The following tips can help you when making purchasing decisions:

Fish should smell fresh and mild, not fishy, sour, or ammonia-like.

A fish’s eyes should be clear and shiny.

Whole fish should have firm flesh and red gills with no odor. Fresh fillets should have firm flesh and red
blood lines, or red flesh if fresh tuna. The flesh should spring back when pressed.

Fish fillets should display no discoloration, darkening, or drying around the edges.

Shrimp, scallop, and lobster flesh should be clear with a pearl-like color and little or no odor.
Some refrigerated seafood may have time/temperature indicators on their packaging, which show if the
product has been stored at the proper temperature. Always check the indicators when they are present
and only buy the seafood if the indicator shows that the product is safe to eat.

Fresh fish and fish fillets sold as “Previously Frozen” may not have all the characteristics of fresh fish
(e.g., bright eyes, firm flesh, red gills, flesh, or bloodlines), however, they should still smell fresh and
mild, not fishy, sour, or rancid.