The term “rockfish” refers to several species of fish, which are thus named because they live among the rocks on the bottom of the water.

The good news is that many of the fish known as rockfish are indeed kosher. This includes members of the Sebastidae family and striped bass. But fish are often mislabeled, so the name on a package alone is not enough.

If you catch what you believe to be a rockfish (or buy one whole) and you see the fins and scales, go home and cook it up in your kosher kitchen for a tasty kosher meal. The same applies if you pick up some fish labeled “rockfish” at a kosher-certified shop or in a sealed package bearing kosher certification.

If you are purchasing fresh rockfish from a non-kosher establishment, ask to see the skin still on the fish to make sure there are actual scales, and then ask the store employee to clean the knife well and cut your slice of fish on a fresh sheet of paper. You should then carefully wash the part of the fish that has been cut in water that is no warmer than room temperature.

Unlike meat or fowl, fish does not have to be slaughtered or salted, so nothing more needs to be done to make your meal kosher.

Enjoy your delicious meal!