To ask how you can be a pescatarian. Possible Triggers

[Jessiejuju]

So the whole point of being a vegetarian is that you don't eat meat from a living thing so why is it OK to eat fish and seafood. I know it is not classed as meat but it is still a living thing that is dying so you can eat it and is actually cruler than other animals for example chickens simply have their neck broken which is relatively quick as apposed to fish who suffercate when removed from the water.

I fully agree with @StripyDeckchair re being positive and encouraging about changes in diet anyone makes towards reducing their meat consumption.

However, that does not stop me being pissed off with pescetarians claiming to be vegetarian. They piss me off because it mainstreams the notion that vegetarians eat fish. That then results in restaurants/bars claiming that their fish offering is vegetarian (yes, it still happens) and I end up eating a couple of starters or side dishes and feeling very hard done by.

Mass produced chickens aren't killed by having their necks broken.

@MaybeDoctor - I think the NHS recommends averaging no more than 70g (cooked) a day. That's not much.

It's also about what kind of meat you eat. Free range local chicken is likely to have less impact in terms of carbon footprint (relatively at least) than intensively farmed imported beef. Small changes can make a big difference.

@theymademejoin - I'm really shocked about the fish as vegetarian thing in restaurants. Almost all of DH's family are veggie and we are moving over to being veggie. I've definitely experienced limited options on many menus but I've never had a fish as the veggie option situation when eating out. Hopefully as knowledge increases, with vegetarianism becoming more popular these days, there will be fewer cases like that.

mass produced chickens are stunned hung and their heads chopped off.
Then they carry on down the line are washed out and an operative with metal meshed gloves uses secateur things to cut off their feet.
They are washed, elastic round legs and wings, bagged or shrink wrapped on a tray and packed.

Every pescatarian I've met have been that for health reasons or for other reasons not linked to animal welfare.

Myself included.

I didn't like the taste and texture of most meats. Therefore I don't eat them. I do choose to eat fish and shellfish because on the whole I liked them. I don't like really meaty/fleshy fish though, and not keen on much vegetarian meat alternatives due to the same issue.

I've not eaten meat since I was a young teen so over 30 years. It's a choice I made, and I can't see me changing that now, though have had the odd taste of meat every so often since - I still didn't like it.

I cook meat for dh and Dd, and visitors. My choice wasn't based on animal welfare.

@StripyDeckchair - I'm really shocked about the fish as vegetarian thing in restaurants.

It happened to me most recently in a rural village a month or so ago. Award winning pub on a tourist trail. I was offered cod.....

Apparently they do a veggie burger during the summer but there were none left in the freezer!

I ended up with garlic mushrooms and chips. And worse still, the waiter tried to convince me that some vegetarians eat fish!

Admittedly, most places do make some sort of token effort (mushroom bloody risotto, anyone) and some places do fantastic options.

I was vegetarian for 10 years, switched to pescatarian for last 10 years when I started travelling as some places it was impossible no option of salads and living off rice for 3 months wouldn't be good for my health!

I'm mostly pescatarian as I don't like meat, unless I'm pregnant as its my biggest food craving so have given in despite 22 years!

Mostly though I get annoyed at people asking stupid questions people being pescatarian doesn't affect your life or a meat eaters life.
So just like I don't lecture a meat eater, vegetarian or vegan and rant at them nor do I expect it in return. Everyone has the right to choose how they live stop judging!

This does my head in. If you're a vegetarian you don't eat fish! You're a pescatarian then.

Huge family event last month. Had organised chicken & fish options. 3 guests said they were vegetarian- so I ordered their meals from the hotel too. What happened? The shaggers all went for the fish!! I felt like telling them that they aren't vegetarians!!
And yes, the vegetarian meals went to waste. And yes, I was charged for them 

I eat seafood but don't eat any other meat. Its partly because of the cruelty involved in factory farming which you simply don't get with wild fish/seafood in the ocean but also because I don't particularly like meat but love prawns,scampi and muscles. Imo they aren't as sentient as other animals but would never eat a loster or ocupus. I know my logic is a bit strange but really... why do you care?

If you're a pescatarian you're not a vegetarian! And trigger warning for what?!

Back in the '80s we didn't have the word 'pescatarian' so fish eaters had to call ourselves vegetarian to avoid red meat & fowl. There's a language legacy thing going on.

I was also vegetarian for spells (genuinely) for environmental reasons, not interested in animal welfare, though. To my mind, being vegetarian has nothing to do with how much you care about animals.

OP, you appear to be confused. Vegetarians do not eat meat or fish; Pescatarians do not eat meat. A Pescatarian is not a vegetarian nor vice versa. It's entirely up to people what they eat. Why do you care? And WTF is the trigger for?

Tbh a lot of the time it can be easier saying to people that your a vegetarian who eats fish rather than have to spell out exactly what a pescatarian is and what I eat.

You will be surprised how many people go what????!!! When you say that you're a pescatarian!

In many places in Asia, vegetarian and pescetarian means the same thing, so you often have to ask for a buddhist meal (or eat at at a buddhist temple) to have any hope of eating a vegetarian meal. In India, however, you can only he vegetarian if you don’t eat eggs (or fish or meat or any of the byproducts including gelatin). Most ‘egg eaters’ describe themselves as non-veg or carnivores which is why in some places in India egg dishes are not under the vegetarian option!

What’s it to you??

It happened to me most recently in a rural village a month or so ago. Award winning pub on a tourist trail. I was offered cod

I'm not really surprised. I recently had a meal in a fairly upmarket restaurant in a rural village. There was meat and fish on the menu and then at the bottom in small print "Ask for vegetarian options if you must." I don't think they necessarily think vegetarians eat fish. They just cannot be bothered to provide you with anything else and in rural areas it can all get a bit 1985 and they just think you shouldn't be a veggie.

Trigger - the most overused phrase on MN.

Personally I would assume that someone who says they are vegetarian does not eat fish or seafood. Pescetarian is a standard phrase meaning fish, but not meat.

Why people choose to eat one way or another is of no interest to me really.

@ragged - Back in the '80s we didn't have the word 'pescatarian' so fish eaters had to call ourselves vegetarian to avoid red meat & fowl.

Yeah. It pissed me off in the 80's too.

@twiglet - Tbh a lot of the time it can be easier saying to people that your a vegetarian who eats fish rather than have to spell out exactly what a pescatarian is and what I eat.

What's wrong with just saying the only meat you eat is fish? Or you only eat vegetarian food or fish?

Claiming to be a vegetarian who eats fish perpetuates the notion that fish is a valid vegetarian option.

Mind you, the worst I ever encountered was at a conference in Seattle in the mid-90's. I asked for a vegetarian option for the conference dinner. I was asked would I prefer chicken or fish!

You will be surprised how many people go what????!!! When you say that you're a pescatarian!

They seem to cope better if you say you're fish-itarian or fishy-vegetarian, although no doubt the last would have some people on here up in arms.

@theymademejoin saying that I'm a meat eater who only eats fish confused the hell out of people especially as usually when I am requesting dietary stuff it's for work events being catered etc.

I don't only eat vegetarian food so wouldn't say this. Tried the I only eat fish and again led to confusion was asked if this meant that I didn't eat dairy, carbs etc.

I use the language which caterers seem to understand to save myself a lot of time and hassle! Ideally they would learn what a pescatarian is but you will be surprised how few people know this especially in northern Scotland!

My kids don't like meat. They like fish. I guess they are pescatarians.

Not sure why people get so hung up on definitions. Does it matter? It's not a religion. Cutting down on any amount of animal agriculture is good for health, the environment and against cruelty - so well done to anyone making the effort.

However, there are also 2 salient reasons fish is different from meat.

1. factory farming. Cruel and toxic and doesn't apply to a lot of fish like mackerel and sardines, that have a free life.
2. omega 3 oils, which are important for health, especially brain health - and it is difficult to get adequate amounts from other sources, especially of DHA which is particularly important.

And while meat and dairy is damaging to health and the environment, fish at the lower end of the food chain ( mackerel, sardines) is important for health and less environmentally damaging.

So there is a logic to being vegatarian and eating fish occasionally - even more logic in being a Pegan - but who the hell knows what that is, or cares.

@twiglet - I use the language which caterers seem to understand to save myself a lot of time and hassle!

I do get that you are going for least hassle and confusion, which is perfectly understandable. However, I doubt any caterer would have difficulty understanding "I eat vegetarian food and fish dishes, so either is fine for me".

@theymademejoin if I was speaking to the chef yes I see your point however mostly I am passing information to a events team, secretary, hotel admin etc who have got even the basics wrong! One event dinner gave me a steak, when I said I didn't eat it they said I wasn't marked down as vegetarian, when I explained I had stated that I eat fish their response was unless you stated vegetarian then its the meat option......

I guess it’s because they have never seen Finding Nemo