Protein in Fish per 100 g: Rohu, Catla, Hilsa
हिंदी में पढ़ें: मछली में कितना प्रोटीन (IFCT 2017 के आँकड़ों के साथ)
"How much protein is in fish?" has no single answer, because fish species differ and IFCT 2017, the Indian Food Composition Tables from ICMR-NIN, lists them one by one. To keep every figure solid, this page uses only the rows IFCT averaged over 2 or more regions, and says how many regions each row has. The kJ to kcal conversion and the serving sums are our arithmetic, shown below.
The short answer
Raw edible fish has between 13.07 g (Prawns, small (Macrobrachium sp.)) and 24.50 g (Tuna (Euthynnus affinis)) of protein per 100 g among the 38 rows used here. Rohu has 19.71 g and 102 kcal per 100 g; catla 17.94 g and 94 kcal; hilsa 21.80 g and 259 kcal. Species differ, so there is no one "fish" number.
How the rows were chosen
IFCT 2017 has 102 fish and shellfish rows in its marine fish group (P, 92 rows) and freshwater fish and shellfish group (S, 10 rows). Only 38 of them are averages of 2 or more regions: 31 marine rows and 7 freshwater rows. The rest are single-region samples and are left out, including sardine, black pomfret, tilapia and big prawns. IFCT 2017 says all its data except poultry and egg is for raw food (PDF p. 27), so these are raw fish.
Freshwater fish and prawns, per 100 g
IFCT 2017, Table 1 (Proximate Principles), per 100 g edible portion. IFCT prints energy in kilojoules (kJ); we converted with 1 kcal = 4.184 kJ. "Regions" is how many regions the average comes from.
| Fish (IFCT row) | Protein | Fat | Energy per 100 g | Regions | IFCT code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rohu (Labeo rohita) | 19.71 g | 2.39 g | 102 kcal (428 kJ) | 6 | S006 |
| Catla (Catla catla) | 17.94 g | 2.15 g | 94 kcal (394 kJ) | 6 | S002 |
| Pangas (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) | 17.12 g | 16.77 g | 204 kcal (852 kJ) | 6 | S005 |
| Gold fish (Carassius auratus) | 16.91 g | 2.94 g | 95 kcal (396 kJ) | 2 | S004 |
| Cat fish (Tandanus tandanus) | 15.86 g | 6.24 g | 124 kcal (518 kJ) | 2 | S001 |
| Tiger prawns (Macrobrachium sp.) | 14.24 g | 0.66 g | 68 kcal (284 kJ) | 2 | S010 |
| Prawns, small (Macrobrachium sp.) | 13.07 g | 0.78 g | 71 kcal (297 kJ) | 3 | S009 |
Of the freshwater rows, rohu has the most protein (19.71 g), and pangas has the most fat and energy (16.77 g and 204 kcal) against 2.39 g and 102 kcal for rohu.
Marine fish, per 100 g
The same table for the 31 marine rows, sorted from the most protein to the least. Names are IFCT's, with the scientific name in brackets, because the same fish has different local names across India.
| Fish (IFCT row) | Protein | Fat | Energy per 100 g | Regions | IFCT code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuna (Euthynnus affinis) | 24.50 g | 1.44 g | 112 kcal (470 kJ) | 5 | P084 |
| Myil meen (Istiophorus platypterus) | 22.89 g | 0.56 g | 98 kcal (410 kJ) | 2 | P041 |
| Shelavu (Sphyraena jello) | 22.46 g | 1.74 g | 107 kcal (446 kJ) | 4 | P075 |
| Jathi vela meen (Lethrinus lentjan) | 22.45 g | 1.92 g | 108 kcal (453 kJ) | 2 | P019 |
| Bommuralu (Muraenesox cinerius) | 22.30 g | 2.87 g | 116 kcal (485 kJ) | 3 | P008 |
| Vanjaram (Scomberomorus commerson ) | 22.28 g | 5.18 g | 136 kcal (570 kJ) | 2 | P087 |
| Kannadi paarai (Alectis indicus) | 22.09 g | 1.27 g | 101 kcal (423 kJ) | 3 | P025 |
| Phopat (Coryphaena hippurus) | 22.05 g | 1.33 g | 101 kcal (424 kJ) | 4 | P053 |
| Narba (Caranx sexfasciatus) | 21.95 g | 1.60 g | 103 kcal (432 kJ) | 2 | P043 |
| Pambada (Lepturacanthus savala) | 21.95 g | 4.44 g | 128 kcal (537 kJ) | 2 | P047 |
| Hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha) | 21.80 g | 18.49 g | 259 kcal (1083 kJ) | 2 | P017 |
| Tarlava (Drepane punctata) | 21.72 g | 1.20 g | 99 kcal (414 kJ) | 2 | P081 |
| Aluva (Parastromateus niger) | 21.63 g | 1.80 g | 104 kcal (434 kJ) | 3 | P002 |
| Raai fish (Lobotes surinamensis) | 21.61 g | 1.69 g | 103 kcal (430 kJ) | 2 | P061 |
| Shark (Carcharhinus sorrah) | 21.60 g | 0.83 g | 95 kcal (398 kJ) | 2 | P072 |
| Mackerel (Rastrelliger kanagurta) | 21.51 g | 1.53 g | 101 kcal (423 kJ) | 3 | P034 |
| Matha (Acanthurus mata) | 21.17 g | 0.79 g | 93 kcal (389 kJ) | 2 | P036 |
| Pomfret, snub nose (Trachinotus blochii) | 21.05 g | 0.46 g | 90 kcal (375 kJ) | 2 | P056 |
| Queen fish (Scomberoides commersonianus) | 20.97 g | 1.17 g | 96 kcal (400 kJ) | 3 | P060 |
| Kalamaara (Leptomelanosoma indicum) | 20.89 g | 4.54 g | 125 kcal (523 kJ) | 2 | P022 |
| Tholam (Plectorhinchus schotaf) | 20.78 g | 2.13 g | 103 kcal (432 kJ) | 2 | P082 |
| Mullet (Mugil cephalus) | 20.23 g | 1.32 g | 94 kcal (393 kJ) | 3 | P039 |
| Chakla (Rachycentron canadum) | 20.21 g | 1.68 g | 97 kcal (406 kJ) | 5 | P010 |
| Kanamayya (Lutjanus rivulatus) | 20.19 g | 0.65 g | 88 kcal (367 kJ) | 2 | P024 |
| Kayrai (Thunnus albacores) | 20.15 g | 3.00 g | 109 kcal (454 kJ) | 2 | P028 |
| Vora (Siganus javus) | 20.14 g | 2.14 g | 101 kcal (422 kJ) | 2 | P089 |
| Chelu (Elagatis bipinnulata) | 20.02 g | 0.70 g | 87 kcal (366 kJ) | 2 | P012 |
| Anchovy (Stolephorus indicus) | 19.88 g | 0.78 g | 88 kcal (367 kJ) | 2 | P003 |
| Gobro (Epinephelus diacanthus) | 19.37 g | 0.88 g | 87 kcal (362 kJ) | 2 | P015 |
| Pomfret, white (Pampus argenteus) | 19.02 g | 5.12 g | 123 kcal (513 kJ) | 2 | P057 |
| Bombay duck (Harpadon nehereus) | 13.53 g | 1.03 g | 69 kcal (287 kJ) | 2 | P007 |
Hilsa is the fattiest row on this page (18.49 g fat, 259 kcal per 100 g), and among the marine rows Bombay duck has the lowest protein (13.53 g), because it is mostly water (83.24 g).
250 g and 500 g of five common fish
Each cell is the IFCT value times the grams, divided by 100, as protein and kcal. Weights are raw edible meat.
| Raw edible fish | Rohu (S006) | Catla (S002) | Hilsa (P017) | Mackerel (P034) | Pomfret, white (P057) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 g | ~19.7 g protein, ~102 kcal | ~17.9 g protein, ~94 kcal | ~21.8 g protein, ~259 kcal | ~21.5 g protein, ~101 kcal | ~19.0 g protein, ~123 kcal |
| 250 g | ~49.3 g protein, ~256 kcal | ~44.9 g protein, ~235 kcal | ~54.5 g protein, ~647 kcal | ~53.8 g protein, ~253 kcal | ~47.6 g protein, ~307 kcal |
| 500 g | ~98.6 g protein, ~511 kcal | ~89.7 g protein, ~471 kcal | ~109.0 g protein, ~1294 kcal | ~107.6 g protein, ~505 kcal | ~95.1 g protein, ~613 kcal |
The amounts scale in a straight line, so 500 g has five times the 100 g figure.
Whole fish, bones and curry
IFCT 2017 figures are for the raw edible portion. A fish bought whole, with head, bones and skin, has less edible meat than its weight, and the tables do not say how much less, so the 250 g and 500 g amounts on this page are edible meat. Frying or a fish curry adds oil and masala, so the numbers above do not describe a plate of fish curry. IFCT 2017 has no cooked-fish row, so this page gives no cooked figure.
Three common mistakes
- Using one "fish" number. Among the rows on this page protein runs from 13.07 to 24.50 g per 100 g.
- Counting the whole fish as meat. Head, bones and skin are not edible meat, so a 500 g whole fish gives less than the 500 g column.
- Using raw figures for fried or curried fish. Oil, batter and masala change the energy, and the tables above are without them.
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Join the NYUS waitlistFrequently asked questions
How much protein is in 100 g of fish?
It depends on the species. Among the 38 IFCT 2017 fish and prawn rows sampled in 2 or more regions, raw protein runs from 13.07 g per 100 g (Prawns, small (Macrobrachium sp.)) to 24.50 g (Tuna (Euthynnus affinis)). Rohu has 19.71 g, catla 17.94 g, hilsa 21.80 g and mackerel 21.51 g.
How much protein is in 250 g of rohu or catla?
By IFCT 2017, 250 g of raw rohu edible meat has about 49.3 g of protein and 256 kcal, and 250 g of catla about 44.9 g and 235 kcal. This is edible meat, not whole fish.
Which fish has the most protein?
Among the rows sampled in 2 or more regions, Tuna (Euthynnus affinis) has the most, 24.50 g per 100 g. Rohu has 19.71 g and hilsa 21.80 g. Different species and different catches differ, so treat these as figures for the sampled fish, not a rule for the species everywhere.
How many calories and how much fat are in hilsa?
IFCT 2017 lists hilsa (P017, 2 regions) at 259 kcal and 18.49 g of fat per 100 g, the highest energy and fat of the 38 rows on this page. Rohu has 102 kcal and 2.39 g of fat per 100 g.
Why are sardine, black pomfret, tilapia and big prawns not in the table?
IFCT 2017 has them as single-region rows (sardine, black pomfret, tilapia and big prawns each come from 1 region), so this page leaves them out to keep every row an average of 2 or more regions. IFCT has 102 fish and shellfish rows in groups P and S; 38 of them meet that rule.
Sources (read 26 October 2026)
- Longvah T. et al., Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (IFCT 2017), ICMR-NIN, Table 1, per 100 g edible portion, rows with 2 or more regions: P002, P003, P007, P008, P010, P012, P015, P017, P019 on PDF p. 63; P022, P024, P025, P028, P034, P036, P039, P041, P043 on PDF p. 64; P047, P053, P056, P057, P060, P061 on PDF p. 65; P072, P075, P081, P082, P084, P087 on PDF p. 66; P089 on PDF p. 67; S001, S002, S004, S005, S006, S009, S010 on PDF p. 68. The statement that all data except poultry and egg is for raw food: p. 27.
- Energy kcal = kJ ÷ 4.184, rounded half-up; the 250 g and 500 g amounts are NYUS arithmetic on those rows.