The bounty of fish indigenous to the Mediterranean, coupled with worldwide imports to Israel, gives those of us here an almost unprecedented number of choices for fish to cook. To help sort out which is which, I have compiled a list of fish that can be found in Israel.
It is a shame that fish cookery for most people comes down to salmon, tuna, and gefilte, with the occasional overbaked-in-oil tilapia (musht). The wide range of choices – fresh and frozen – available here can really broaden your repertoire and palette.
To add to the confusion. not all fish have the same names. My method for determining the correlation between Hebrew and English was to determine the scientific name of the species, then use several resources to determine the exact Hebrew name for that species, or, in case of conflicting information, I used a consensus.
With thousands of kosher fish species, the list is by no means comprehensive. If there is a particular fish you don’t see on the chart, please comment below and I will add it.
| English Name | שם מקובל | Hebrew Pronunciation | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaskan Pollock | זהבנון | Zahabnon |  |
| Albacore tuna | טונה, טונה לבנה | Tuna, tuna levana |  |
| Anchovy | אנשובי | Anshoovi |  |
| Arrowtooth flounder | שטצד פציפי | Shattzad Patzifi | |
| Barramundi | ברמונדי | Baramundi |  |
| Blue runner | תרחון | Tarachon | |
| Bream | זהבון | Zahabon | |
| Cod | קוד | Kod, ze’ev yam | |
| Common carp, Mirror Carp | קרפיון | Karpion |  |
| Common dolphin-fish, mahi-mahi | רעמתן | Ra’amatan | |
| Common grey mullet | בורי | Burri |  |
| Flounder | דג סנדל | Dag Sandal | |
| Frigate tuna (mackerel family) | פלמודה | Palmudah | |
| Galilee St.Peter’s fish; Mango tilapia | מושט אביאד | Musht, Amnon, Tilapia | |
| Gilt head sea bream | דניס | Denis |  |
| Grass carp | קרפיון | Karpion esev | |
| Greater amberjack | אינטיאס | Intias | |
| Grouper | לוקוס | Lokus |  |
| Haddock | חמור ים | Chamor Yam | |
| Hake | מרלוזה, בקלה | Marluza, Bakala | |
| Halibut | הליבוט | Putit, halibut | |
| Herring | הרינג | Herring | |
| Jordan St. Peter’s fish; Blue tilapia | מושט | Musht, Amnon, Tilapia |  |
| Kinneret bleak (carp) | סרדין טבריה | Sardine Tiveria | |
| Longhead barbel (carp) | כרסין | Karsin | |
| Mackerel | מקרל | Mackerel |  |
| Meagre (drum) | עיט הים | Eit Hayam | |
| Nile Perch | נסיכה נילוס | Nisichah Nilus |  |
| Pink Dentex (Red Snapper) | פארידה | Faridah | |
| Plaice | פלייס | Plaice | |
| Pollack | פולוק | Polok | |
| Red drum | מוסר | Musar | |
| Round sardinella | דקה | Daka | |
| Salmon | סלמון | Salmon | |
| Sea Bass | לברק | Levrak | |
| Shad or Whitefish | עלוזה | Aluzah | |
| Shi drum | לבט | Levet | |
| Silver carp | כסיף | Kasif | |
| Skipjack Tuna | טונה, טונה בהירה | Tuna, tuna behirah | |
| Spanish Mackerel | פלמידה לבנה | Palmidah Levanah | |
| Striped Bass | בס | Bass |  |
| Striped Red Mullet | ברבוניה | Barbunia |  |
| Striped sea bream | מרמיר | Mormir | |
| Trout; Rainbow Trout | פורל | Forel | |
| True Sole, Dover Sole | סול | Sol |  |
| Turbot | פוטית | Putit | |
| Yellowstripe scad | צנינית צהובת פסים | Tzninit tzahubah pasim |  |
| Yellowtail amberjack | אינטיאס | Antias, Shula |
What resources did you use? Best thing is to go to the shuk and ask!
Not only did I spend years looking at and learning the fish in the market, I spoke to fishmongers (who weren’t always right…) used several sites on the Internet in both English and Hebrew (and one in Italian), and referenced books on Mediterranean cuisine.
What’s the “Chum Salmon” I see frozen in the supermarket? It’s lighter than the salmon I am used to from the US.
In Alaska there are five kinds of salmon and they all have two names. From best to worst they are King also known as Chinook, the largest and best. Not far behind is Silver, a.k.a Coho, which is also very delicious. Red, aka Sockeye, is wonderful smoked but also good grilled or broiled. Pink, aka Humpy because of a pronounced hump, is pretty much only kept for canning. Most people don’t deliberately seek them out when fishing and many just throw them back when caught. Chum is also called dog because of its large teeth. They’re considered garbage fish and mostly used for bait. Are they really for sale in your stores? Zoiks!
This is a great list. I will print it out when we make Aliyah. You should talk to Nefesh B’nefesh about incorporating this & your meat # list to new Olim. I am sure it woule be appreciated.
Finally, a Fish List..
My pleasure
TTBOMK, Marluza & Bakala are definitely NOT the same type of fish (you list both under Hake). Also "Nile Perch" is either "NesichaT haNilus" (Princess of the Nile), or the generic "Nesichah".
Great list. Thanks
this is fabulous!
Is scrod available here? If so, what is it called in Hebrew? Thanks
fabulous thanks :)
In case you're a fish lover and want to buy some here in Israel…try this list to order.
Wow just wat I was looking for
bream is wrong, I think. I know it as Denees or Denis…
ITS NOT A FISH LIST !!! ITS TILAPIA !!!
How do You call the fish amnon in English
It's called Tilapia in English.
That's Gilt Head Sea Bream
what is "buri" fish in english
Is there a way to know which ones are wild caught vs farm raised?!
Where does Israel get salmon ?
The color. Wild is a much deeper color.
Grey mullet.
Norway. Same as everyone else in Europe. It's flown in ice-packed.
Just the picture. Scroll down for the rest of the list.
UK KLBD does not regard turbot as kosher.
European Turbot isn’t. Throughout the rest of the planet, it’s known as a variety of flounder.
Marc Gottlieb I would think they devolop their own fish farms. This salman from Norway is it wild or farmed?
I’ve seen the containers they’re shipped in. I haven’t seen wild salmon in Israel.
Yet.