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 was a pescatarian in my late teens and early 20's. Honest answer, I had less of a problem with fish being killed than cows, sheep and pigs. I still do think animals suffer more, for longer and are more aware of the suffering inflicted on them than fish are.

I am thinking of becoming a pescetarian in day to day life (but with flexibility so off if I'm invited round to someone's house I will eat whatever they're making).

My reasons are for the environment as well as disagreeing with intensive farming (I do buy free range meat and eggs but realise that's not enough).

I realise that eating fish has environmental impact and killing any animal to eat is cruel but in my view fish are lower in the food chain and have had a normal life whereas a battery chicken has only ever known misery.

I think when future generations look back on our generation they will view intense farming like how we view something like slavery,ie completely morally unacceptable.

For various health reasons I can't go vegetarian of vegan without a serious impact on the quality of my life but I feel by going pescetarian it is sustainable.

I also think it is do-able with cooking for my family whereas a vegetarian diet would be too hard to follow and I'd therefore end up giving up.

Simply because....

People can do what the fuck they want! ...

If we didn't label everything and just made ethical food choices based on our own beliefs, life would be a lot simpler...

(from an X pesco-veggie-part-time-vegan-veggie)

I like fish I don't like meat. Quite simple and no one else's business really.....if anyone ever questions it I just say "I don't question why you choose to eat meat so why do you question why I choose not t?". I really fail to understand why anyone questions anyone elses lifestyle choices.......mind ya business :)

There are also very very very many misinformed opinions about farming practices....not everything is "factory farmed" and as for antibiotics etc the info for this is usually related to foreign farms..... Buy British...... go and do some work experience on a farm and see what it is really like before being led by you tube....

I don't worry too much about people's food choices it's up to them....just don't preach cr@p at me and don't comment on mine....simple...

Also I am pescatarian but I often refer to myself as "vegetarian" when giving diet requirements for meals etc because honestly you'd be surprised how many folk don't understand what a pescatarian is....it's a pain in the ass to explain so saying "veggie" ensures I don't wind up with a slab of steak on my plate!

I also happily use meat stock, eat meat crisps, will pick the meat of my boyfriends pizza and eat it.......so lynch me haha

Can I ask those of you who say they don't view killing a fish the same as killing a cow why that is? I'm honestly not trying to be goady - I just don't get it. Obviously I know the farming practices for animals are far more barbaric and cruel but for me, killing is killing, This doesn't relate to those pescetarians who just don't like meat - that different in my opinion. Being veggie, like being Vegan is a lifestyle choice not just dietary which is why I don't understand why people don't just say - 'I don't eat meat' rather than I'm vegetarian (although I do understand in terms of event invites etc it's easier).

lifebeginz - sorry but if you eat meat stock, meat off of pizza, etc etc you are not vegetarian or pescetarian, You are a meat eater. Which is fine, your choice but do not claim otherwise. You eat meat - how can you be a pescatarian if you eat meat?? It's not about lynching you - it's about you saying your pescetarian and you're simply not.

Who cares.

Keep your snout out

Sorry if you’ve already answered this op, but why aren’t you vegan if you care about animal welfare? Dairy is probably crueller than meat (imo).

Because I am not going to sit and explain to everyone who questions it "well I don't actually like meat, it gives me the boak to chew it, but I do like fish and although generally I would cook with veg stock etc, it doesn't bother me if a soup is made with meat stock as long as it doesn't have chunks of meat in it" So saying pescatarian or veggie suits me fine as it is in simple terms for folk to understand "don't give her a chunk of meat" tbh I'd rather not label it at all as someone says above it's no ones business, but folk insist on asking about it

And I don't eat meat of the pizza....What I was saying was I would remove the meat and eat the pizza.........

Can I ask those of you who say they don't view killing a fish the same as killing a cow why that is?

I'm not sure they actually are that different myself. I feel further removed from fish simply because in evolutionary terms I am. In terms of what they feel and experience, I don't really want to judge. They certainly look incredibly stressed when pulled out of water. Of course, that's just my interpretation of their behaviour.

For me, it's just that on balance I often feel healthier if I eat a small amount of some meat/ fish and fish I feel more removed from. I avoid really meaty fish though and only ever eat it in small quantities. It's a case of "I probably have to kill something for my diet and I'm afraid it's you. Sorry".

I guess ask yourself, do you ever swat flies? Do you kill spiders? Do you view their lives as more disposable or not? Personally I try to avoid killing invertebrates because I don't feel I have any right or good reason to, as they're blamelessly living their lives. But I eat honey and the cereals I eat cost many small animals their lives simply in the farming process.

The only invertebrates I will deliberately kill are the blood suckers - mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, all fair game as far as I'm concerned.

I really do think folk get too tied up in labelling stuff that is nothing to do with them and picking it apart. Eat what you want to eat, live in the way that your individual moral compass allows you to

peskyterrorian

A PITA who terrorises others about their food choices.

I like that florafawna!

I just don't like meat anymore, it tastes weird and the texture puts me off.

I am not actually a vegetarian though because I don't check labels and will have things with meat stock etc.

But when ordering/advising of dietary requirements I will always choose vegetarian/vegan because I just don't want to deal with food I won't like, and other than mushrooms I am yet to meet a vegetable I don't like.

Most meat just grosses me out these days. It is odd.

Can I ask those of you who say they don't view killing a fish the same as killing a cow why that is?

You could say that about killing anything. Why is killing a spider or a fly not as bad as killing a cow? I see cows, pigs, dogs, cats etc as sentient beings, with a higher understanding of emotions (especially fear) than fish. You can create a bond with an animal, but never a fish. I wouldn't kill a fish or hurt a fish for no reason, then same as I wouldn't an animal, but I don't have a problem with eating them.

lifebeginz fair enough re. the pizza - I think the way it was written it could've been interpreted either way. apologies.

Thank you to those who've explained their views - obviously it's not something I can agree with but it's good to know others view. Like I said not trying to be goady and for what it's worth I do have many many meat eating/fish eating family and I don't lecture them on the issue but it can just be hard to understand (being a vegetarian myself).

I personally don't kill anything - spiders, flies or otherwise (well at least knowingly) because I just can't get my head around the idea that they don't feel it or have memories.

I personally don't kill anything - spiders, flies or otherwise (well at least knowingly) because I just can't get my head around the idea that they don't feel it or have memories. A fly definitely doesn't have a memory because it keeps coming back to annoy you after you've tried to swat it 20 times 😂

Can I ask the Vegetarians on here whether you consider the consequences of all "farming". It is of course true that agriculture doesn't directly involve the killing of sentient beings, however, modern agriculture does impact the environment in many ways, and in some is an ecological disaster. Surely any form of mass production of food for humans impacts the environment for all, humans, animals, plants etc.

Personally, meat doesn't agree with me but I'm OK with fish and some seafood.

Someone way back up the thread said a pescatarian wouldn't call themselves a vegetarian, well sometimes it's easier to as not many actually know what a pescatarian is 😊.

Fish are less sentient than mammals, and eating them less ruinous to the environment.

Which is not to say there's no an enormous problem with overfishing.

I am a big meat eater and I understand why people don't like mass produced farmed foods. I have also worked on various farms and know that the animals are well cared for in terms of welfare. If you read the thread I did correct myself and say that this post is not about all pescatarians only those who don't eat meat because they think it is cruel. I have no problem with what people chose to eat really and in answer to a earlier post when I posted this I had just got back from lunch with some collegues one who had a massive go at me calling me all sorts of names because I had a burger and saying that I was a murder for eating meat and then he ordered a fish and when I tried to ask him about why he thought fish was ok but a burger wasn't he got up and stormed off so was just asking what other people thought cause it made me feel like crap in front of all my friends from work. And sorry about any spelling mistakes however I am dyslexic and think it is extremely rude to comment on someone's spelling. However I am truly sorry if my misspelling offends you.