Fish is an aquatic vertebrate animal that breathes through gills and moves using fins.
In cooking and in common language, the term "fish" is also extended to certain aquatic
invertebrates that are not fish in the biological sense, such as molluscs and crustaceans,
grouped together with true fish under the broader term "seafood."
General
Fish can be classified according to their habitat as freshwater, saltwater, or migratory
species that move between the two (such as salmon and eel). In Italian cuisine, fish is
generally distinguished as "pesce azzurro" (oily, small pelagic fish such as sardines,
anchovies and mackerel, historically inexpensive and highly nutritious) and "pesce bianco"
(white, leaner fish such as sole, hake and sea bream).
Fish can be purchased fresh, frozen, or preserved (salted, smoked, or canned). It may also
come from wild capture or from aquaculture (fish farming), a practice that has grown
significantly in recent decades to meet rising demand while reducing pressure on wild
fish stocks. Freshness is generally judged by the clarity of the eyes, the firmness of the
flesh, the brightness of the scales, and the smell, which should recall the sea rather than
being strongly "fishy."
(source: Wikipedia)
(Selection 2026)