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And the answer is: sometimes.
Fish fall into basic families. The biggest group is the firm-fleshed white fish. This includes cod, scrod, haddock, grouper and red snapper. Other options are sea bass, striped bass, turbot and orange roughy.
All these species of fish are mild and thick enough to hold together. Species such as sole and flounder are too thin, although their taste is in the same family.
These lean fish have a delicate flavor and texture, and white flesh. Try gentle cooking, light sauces and herbs with these choices. If your recipe calls for one of the fish in this category, you can easily substitute another lean fish and the recipe will turn out fine.
Salmon, mackerel, shark, swordfish, trout, tuna, mahi-mahi, bluefish and herring are examples of fatty fish. Don't be alarmed by the term "fatty," as fish in this category are not high in fat compared to other meats and the type of fat that they contain (omega-3-fatty acids) is considered "good fat."
These fish have a stronger flavor and more firm texture and are wonderful when grilled or pan-seared. The flavors of the fatty fishes are more unique and it is a bit more challenging to swap one for another. However, if a recipe calls for salmon you can also use char or if you want to cook sardines but can't locate them, try trout. Herring and bluefish substitute well for one another and mahi-mahi works well in place of shark or swordfish.
Keep in mind that certain large predatory fish contain high concentrations of lead and mercury. If you are pregnant, avoid shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tile fish and limit your consumption of tuna.
Source: the National Fisheries Institute
Published 10/05/07
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We've all been there: we see a great-sounding recipe, but we're not sure if we can find the exact variety of fish called for. Or maybe, when you get to the store, you see that one type of fish is on sale, and you wonder if you could use that variety in your recipe instead. 
