i prefer to distinguish between live creatures and creatures that have been made into food, so a fish that is for eating is moku kala, and as such, moku kala palisa is a fish stick.
this is because i generally hold the function over the form, and in increasing degrees of specificity. at least when it comes to physical objects.
if someone said "bring me food," then lentil soup, glazed salmon, or fish sticks would all be an appropriate thing to bring them. if someone said "bring me food that is made out of fish," then only glazed salmon or fish sticks would be appropriate. and then if someone said "bring me food that is made out of fish in the shape of a stick," then only fish sticks would be appropriate.
also, fish sticks are not really interchangeable with any other kind of stick. they are not sticks for any real purpose. if someone said "quick, i need a stick!" then bringing them a fish stick would almost certainly not satisfy whatever need they have.
