When we talk about fish, we are talking about those animals that live in aquatic environments and that have been, precisely, fished and removed from it to become food for humans. Normally, the name of fish is applied to fish of different types that are characterized by this circumstance. Fish is one of the most important foods in the human diet and the use of fish as a food element by man is a phenomenon that can be found even in the oldest and most primitive societies.
For an aquatic animal to be considered a fish, it is necessary that it be permanently removed from its natural environment, which means that such animal has died for not having the necessary elements to survive. Fish can be differentiated and categorized according to its origin, its body structure, its shape, etc. All these classifications serve to better recognize and identify each case. The two main categories that fish are normally divided into are freshwater (ie from rivers, streams, lakes, lagoons) and saltwater (sea or ocean). Each of these types of fish has different nutritional elements, flavor, texture and shape.
While in many countries fishing is not a main activity due to the scarcity of natural resources to carry it out or perhaps due to the dietary preferences of that region, in many other countries fishing is fundamental and a constitutive part of the diet, for which gastronomic preparations are highly characterized by the presence of fish of many different types. Examples of countries with a high culture of fish consumption are Spain, Portugal, England, Japan, China, Greece.
Fish is one of the most nutritious and important foods in the human diet since it provides large amounts of nutrients and natural oils that today are considered essential to combat certain diseases. In addition, fish usually have a low level of fat, which is why they are also ideal for people with specific dietary needs.
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