Clean Fish, easy peasy, right?! Pleasing Yehovah in this area of our life is not hard. Things that come from the water that have fins and scales are the only ones He considers “clean” or “tahor.”
Yehovah says that the things Israel eats which come from the waters must have fins and scales. It takes a lifetime to know Yehovah and become as holy as he is. We must not only learn and follow His ways, but also understand and adopt His attitudes. Why does the One who made everything think we eat things from the water that weren’t meant to be eaten?
To the “Christian Church” this is a picture. They think they are right with God and can do and eat whatever they want. Yehovah says they are smoke in His nostrils! Does that sound like something pleasing to Him?.
What Are Clean and Unclean Animals? We learned that eating swine (pig, hog, pork) and foods made from them (bacon, ham, lard, most sausage, and pepperoni) don’t follow or support Yehovah’s law on earth, so they are thought to be unclean [tamei] because they don’t chew their cud and have split hooves. Yehovah uses these two traits to tell the difference between animals that are clean [tahor] and do represent Him in the world and those that don’t.
About 200 people and I were served a white fish for dinner during Sukkot that turned out to be a catfish. Yehovah says this kind of fish is evil and should not be eaten. When I found out what we had eaten, I almost threw up right there at the table. I then had the worst night’s sleep of my time there because I kept thinking about all the other horrible food I might have been given. What I eat is important to me because I love God and want to be a good person in the world, even through what I eat. I will always choose not to eat or do something that He calls an abomination.
In Hebrew the word being translated as “abomination” is ש×קץ (sheh’-kets). Jeff Benner in His Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible says,.
If someone says they love the Elohim (the one who makes the rules and judges) of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, why would they ever want to do something that He says is ·¤¥ (sheh’-kets)?
Does salmon have scales and fins? A look inside this popular fish helps you answer that question.
Salmon are one of the most iconic and popular fish species in the world. Known for their pinkish-orange flesh, salmon are prized by chefs and home cooks alike for their rich fatty taste. But what exactly makes a salmon a salmon? In this article we’ll take a deep dive into salmon anatomy and find out if salmon have scales and fins.
To start, all salmon species do indeed have both scales and fins This includes Atlantic salmon, Chinook salmon, Coho salmon, Sockeye salmon, and Pink salmon The scales and fins allow the salmon to expertly navigate their environments, from cold mountain streams to the open ocean.
Salmon ScalesSalmon are covered in protective, overlapping scales that provide defense against predators and infection. Their scales grow in concentric rings, with new scales developing around the outer edges as the fish ages and grows larger. The scales are very small and thin making them flexible so salmon can still swim with speed and agility.
About 110 to 120 scales are spread out along the lateral line, which goes across the salmon’s sides. The salmon’s scales are biggest near its belly and tiniest on top. After spawning, all salmon lose their scales. This is one way that fishermen can tell what kind of salmon it is and whether it is spawning or not.
Salmon Fins
Salmon have several fins that provide control, propulsion, and stability while swimming. The major fins are:
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Dorsal fin: Located on the back, it provides stability and balance. Atlantic salmon have a single dorsal fin. Pacific salmon have two – a small adipose fin behind the larger dorsal fin.
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Pectoral fins: Located on each side behind the gills, these help navigate sharp turns and sudden changes in direction.
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Pelvic fins: Underneath the body, these aid in going up and down through the water column.
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Anal fin: Located underneath and behind the anus, it assists with stability and turning maneuvers.
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Caudal or tail fin: The powerful tail fin provides forward propulsion and swimming speed. It has a forked shape which maximizes thrust.
Young salmon also have another set of fins called the median fins. These disappear as the juvenile salmon transitions to living in saltwater.
The Importance of Fins and Scales
The fins and scales equip salmon for the epic journey they undertake during their lifetime. Salmon hatch in freshwater streams and rivers before migrating to the ocean to feed and grow. When it’s time to spawn, they return to their exact place of birth to reproduce. This migration can cover hundreds or even thousands of miles as salmon battle upstream against strong currents and rapids.
Their muscular fins provide acceleration and directional changes needed to traverse rivers. The scales protect them during the arduous journey from abrasions and damage. Together, the fins and scales are essential adaptations that enable the salmon’s iconic migratory life cycle.
Threats to Salmon’s Scales and Fins
Unfortunately, salmon populations today face many threats – including to their fins and scales. Pollution and contaminants affect scale growth and development. Farmed salmon often show erosion and deterioration of fins due to crowded tank conditions. Climate change impacts water temperatures, which can increase fungal or bacterial infections of fins and scales.
Fishermen also directly target salmon’s fins and scales. Catching methods can inadvertently remove scales, while some illegal fishing practices deliberately slice off fins and scales before tossing the fish back. This greatly reduces the salmon’s chances of survival and reproduction.
Conservation of salmon’s scales and fins is an important consideration today for maintaining healthy stocks into the future. From reducing pollution to outlawing damaging fishing practices, we must ensure salmon can rely on their evolved anatomy to complete their iconic life cycle.
Clean Fish Must Haves Fins And Scales
The Creator says that aquatic animals that are good for food must have both fins and scales, just like the animals that live on land (the behemoths).
Fins And Scales Makes It Easy
Easy peasy, right?! Pleasing Yehovah in this area of our life is not rocket science. Like the four-legged beasts, the behemoth of the earth, the fish that Yehovah’s people are to eat should come from living things, not from the bottom of the sea, lakes, and rivers, where dead bodies and filth pile up. The garbage cans of the waters are primarily shell-fish and other fish that dwell at their bottoms.
Here is one list of fish that can be used to honor the Creator in the earth, and here is another list of fish that His people should not eat. Hope this helps you.
7 Kinds of Fish You Should Never Eat
FAQ
Does salmon have fins or scales?
What fish has no fins and scales?
Will salmon fish have scales?
Does salmon have a fin?
Does salmon have scales and fins?
One of the main things you will notice is the inclusion of scales, fins, and skin. Most fish will have one or more of these on them when they are fresh. So if you are planning to be eating fish anytime soon, you might want to learn more. Does salmon have scales and fins, and can you eat them? Let’s find out. Hey there!
Does salmon contain calcium?
Salmon is rich in essential minerals such as iron, calcium, phosphorus, and selenium, and vitamins. However, on the list, sardines are a fish with large amounts of calcium.
Do salmon have fins?
Alongside the thick scales that you can find on salmon, you may be wondering if they have fins like a lot of other fish do. Salmon have 8 fins in total if you include their tail. The fins are mostly in pairs as you have pectoral and pelvic fins. The pectoral fins are located under the shoulder and the pelvic/ventral fins are located other belly.
What is the difference between salmon scales and fish scales?
Salmon’s silvery scales will be one of the main differences you will notice. Fish scales are something that we have all been taught about as it is essentially flexible armor plating to keep the fish safe. Most fish have scales covering a lot of their body, if not all of them, in order to protect them from predators and other hazards.