Types of Fish: 23 Fish With USDA Values and the FDA Mercury Chart

Types of fish differ in fat, sodium and vitamin B12, and USDA FoodData Central lists dozens of them cooked. This guide to the types of fish to eat ranks 23 cooked fish from USDA SR Legacy data by protein per 3 ounces, with the FDA percent Daily Value, and shows where each fish sits on the FDA and EPA “Advice about Eating Fish” chart, in FDA’s own terms. For crab, shrimp and oysters, see our sibling guide to types of shellfish.

Peptide Labs does not sell foods. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.

Types of fish ranked by protein in USDA data

The table lists USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy entries for fish cooked with dry heat, at 3 ounces (85 grams), ranked by protein. The percent Daily Value (%DV) uses the FDA Daily Values of 78 grams for total fat, 2,300 milligrams for sodium and 2.4 micrograms for B12; protein has no %DV here because the FDA labeling rule bases a protein %DV on an amount corrected for protein quality.

In USDA data, cooked yellowfin tuna tops the protein ranking at about 24.8 grams per 3 ounces, followed by sockeye salmon at 22.5 grams and snapper at 22.4 grams. Tilapia, perch and grouper list 21.1 to 22.2 grams, while the USDA flatfish entry, which covers flounder and sole, lists 13.0 grams, the least in the table.

Fat separates the types of fish most clearly. The Atlantic entry for mackerel lists about 15.1 grams per 3 ounces in USDA data, farmed Atlantic salmon 10.5 grams and Atlantic herring 9.9 grams, while USDA lists cod, haddock, halibut and mahimahi at 0.5 to 1.4 grams. The two USDA mackerel entries list 15.3 and 16.1 micrograms of B12 per 3 ounces, 638% and 673% of the FDA Daily Value.

USDA lists 356 milligrams of sodium per 3 ounces for pollock, whose SR Legacy entry may contain additives to retain moisture, and 309 milligrams for the flatfish entry, against 20 milligrams for monkfish. For other rankings, see lean protein foods, high protein foods and low sodium foods.

Types of fish on the FDA and EPA mercury chart

FDA and EPA wrote their “Advice about Eating Fish” for people who might become or are pregnant or breastfeeding and for parents and caregivers feeding children, and a healthcare provider can answer questions about a specific situation. FDA says the chart “can help you choose which fish to eat, and how often to eat them, based on their mercury levels,” and notes that the advice refers to fish and shellfish together as fish. The FDA chart has three categories: a lowest-mercury category, a middle category, and “Choices to Avoid,” which FDA marks as the highest mercury levels. The table matches each USDA entry above to its name on the chart (advice revised October 2021).

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, from USDA and HHS, say “mercury, in the form of methylmercury, is found in seafood in varying levels.” FDA’s chart also puts anchovies, sardines, whitefish, shad and canned light tuna in its lowest-mercury category, places Chilean sea bass and albacore tuna in the middle category, and adds shark, marlin, bigeye tuna and Gulf of Mexico tilefish to the Choices to Avoid. FDA splits tilefish by ocean, so this guide leaves the USDA tilefish entry out.

FDA adds that some fish caught by family and friends, such as larger carp, catfish, trout and perch, are more likely to have fish advisories due to mercury or other contaminants, and FDA says to check for fish and shellfish advisories. Our swordfish guide covers one of the fish on FDA’s highest-mercury list in more detail.

Fish as a major food allergen

FDA lists fish, “like bass, flounder, and cod,” among the nine major food allergens. FDA’s allergen guidance (Edition 5, January 2025, nonbinding) reads fish as three categories: jawless fish such as hagfish and lampreys, bony fish such as trout, flounder, bass, salmon, tilapia, cod, mackerel, tuna and grouper, and cartilaginous fish such as shark, rays and skates. FDA says the law requires the species of fish to be declared, so the ingredient list or the “Contains” statement cannot simply say fish. FDA’s labeling rules do not replace an allergist’s advice about a specific fish.

Wild, farmed and canned entries

USDA SR Legacy keeps separate wild and farmed entries for Atlantic salmon, rainbow trout and channel catfish, and the values differ, so a figure from one entry does not describe the others. SR Legacy has no cooked entry for sardines or anchovies, only uncooked or canned ones, so they are not in the USDA table. The Nutrition Facts label on a package is the figure for that product.

Our single-fish guides also cover eel, walleye, branzino, barramundi and arctic char.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a health condition. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Last reviewed October 2026.

Related guides: Types of Shellfish: 16 Kinds With USDA Values and FDA Facts, Salmon: Nutrition, Benefits and Wild vs Farmed Salmon, Lean Protein Foods: The FDA and USDA Lean Test Applied to USDA Data.