Lobsters, crabs, and crawfish should be lively in the water and respond vigorously when disturbed. Do not buy listless crustaceans. Whole fish have not been prepared and come complete with head, tail, entrails, and all. Whole drawn fish have been gutted and had the scales and gills removed Whole dressed fish have been gutted and had the tail, scales and gills removed. Butterflied fish have been split, boned, gutted and had tail, scales, gills removed.
Fillets are the meaty sides of fish with the bones removed but skin left on.
Steaks are cross-cut slices of fish with the backbone included. Frozen fish sticks and breaded fish are cut from frozen blocks, breaded, and packaged. Canned fish or seafood are processed and packed in cans with water or oil added. Smoked or kippered fish or seafood has been soaked in brine, then processed in a smoker. Pickled or marinated fish has been soaked in brine and spices.