Ruling 2635 — Slaughtering and Hunting Animals

If it is not known whether a dead fish was caught alive or dead in the water, in the event that it is in the hands of a Muslim who has disposal over it, which is proof of it being lawful to eat – for example, he sells or buys it – it is lawful. However, if the fish is in the hands of a disbeliever, then even if he says, ‘I caught it alive’, it is unlawful to eat unless one is confident that he caught it alive in the water or that it died in the net in the water.