Do vegans eat salmon? The definitive guide to plant-based seafood

December 26, 2025 •

3 min read

According to the Vegan Society, veganism is a way of living that seeks to exclude all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing, or any other purpose. This principle directly addresses the question: do vegans eat salmon? The answer is a definitive no, as salmon are animals.

Quick Summary

Vegans follow a plant-based diet that excludes all animal products, including fish like salmon, based on ethical, environmental, and health concerns. This contrasts with a pescetarian diet, which includes fish.

Key Points

No Salmon: Vegans do not eat salmon or any other type of fish, as they are animals and their consumption contradicts the core principles of veganism.
Sentience and Ethics: The choice is based on ethical beliefs that fish are sentient beings capable of feeling pain, and consuming them supports animal exploitation.
Environmental Impact: Avoiding fish is a choice to minimize environmental damage caused by overfishing, bycatch, and pollution from fish farms.
Health Concerns: Reasons to avoid fish also include health concerns related to mercury, microplastics, and other contaminants found in seafood.
Vegan vs. Pescetarian: The main difference is that a pescetarian eats fish and seafood, while a vegan does not consume any animal or animal-derived products.
Plant-Based Alternatives: Delicious and convincing plant-based substitutes for salmon and other seafood exist, using ingredients like marinated tofu, carrots, and seaweed.
Nutrient Sources: Vegans obtain protein and omega-3 fatty acids from plant-based sources like legumes, seeds, nuts, and algae oil, rather than fish.

Many people new to veganism or plant-based eating wonder about the specific rules surrounding various food groups. A common point of confusion arises with fish, which some mistakenly believe can be included in a vegan diet because they aren't mammals or poultry. However, the core philosophy of veganism, which prohibits the consumption of any animal products, means that salmon and all other types of fish are off-limits. For those looking to understand the reasoning and explore alternatives, this guide breaks down the ethics, health, and environmental factors behind this dietary choice.

Ethical Considerations: Fish Are Sentient Beings

One of the primary reasons vegans don't eat salmon is the ethical belief that fish are sentient beings capable of feeling pain and experiencing stress. While there was a misconception that fish lacked the neurological capacity to feel pain like humans, scientific research challenges this view. Fish exhibit social intelligence and complex behaviors. The industrial fishing industry's practices, which kill trillions of fish annually through methods causing suffering, are a major concern for ethical vegans, who see consuming fish as supporting animal harm.

Environmental and Health Factors

Environmental and health concerns also drive vegans to avoid salmon. Commercial fishing significantly harms marine ecosystems through overfishing, bycatch of other marine life, and habitat destruction. Fish farming, while sometimes presented as sustainable, contributes to pollution and disease spread. From a health standpoint, fish can contain contaminants. Concerns include mercury, microplastics, and other toxins. Vegans obtain essential omega-3 fatty acids from plant-based sources like algae oil, flax seeds, and chia seeds, avoiding these contaminants.

Vegan vs. Pescetarian: The Key Distinction

Understanding the difference between vegan and pescetarian diets is crucial. A pescetarian follows a largely vegetarian diet but includes fish and seafood, often consuming dairy and eggs while avoiding land animals. A vegan, however, excludes all animal products, including meat, fish, eggs, dairy, and typically honey. Including fish makes a diet pescetarian, not vegan, reflecting different values.

Delicious Plant-Based Salmon Alternatives

For those who enjoy the taste and texture of salmon, numerous plant-based alternatives are available. These options allow individuals to enjoy similar flavors while adhering to vegan principles.

How to Create a Flaky Vegan Salmon Fillet

To replicate a salmon fillet, ingredients like tofu or jackfruit are popular. Tofu is often used for its firm texture and ability to absorb flavors.

A common method involves pressing extra-firm tofu, scoring it, and marinating it in a blend of beetroot juice for color, nori seaweed for a fishy taste, miso paste and soy sauce for umami, and spices with lemon. Marinating overnight enhances the flavor absorption. The tofu is then cooked by pan-searing or baking, and a strip of nori can be added to resemble skin.

Other Versatile Vegan Seafood Substitutes

Carrot Lox: Thinly sliced carrots marinated to mimic smoked salmon.
Jackfruit Tuna Salad: Shredded jackfruit as a base for a tuna-like salad.
Hearts of Palm Ceviche: Diced hearts of palm marinated for a plant-based ceviche.

Comparison of Diets


Feature	Veganism	Pescetarianism	Vegetarianism
Animal Flesh	Excludes all meat, poultry, and fish	Excludes meat and poultry	Excludes all meat, poultry, and fish
Fish & Seafood	Excludes	Includes	Excludes
Dairy & Eggs	Excludes	Often includes	Depends on type (Lacto-ovo, Lacto, Ovo)
Key Motivations	Ethical, environmental, health	Health, environmental, taste	Ethical, health, religious
Protein Sources	Legumes, tofu, nuts, seeds, grains	Fish, eggs, dairy (optional), plant foods	Eggs, dairy (optional), legumes, nuts, seeds
B12 & Omega-3s	Requires supplementation or fortified foods	Obtained from fish; also requires supplementation	Requires supplementation or fortified foods

Conclusion

Addressing the question "do vegans eat salmon?" reveals a clear answer grounded in ethical, environmental, and health principles. Vegans exclude salmon and all other fish from their diet, adhering to a lifestyle that avoids animal exploitation. While fish is part of a pescetarian diet, it is not compatible with veganism. Fortunately, numerous plant-based alternatives exist, from marinated tofu fillets to carrot lox, allowing those who choose a vegan lifestyle to enjoy seafood-like tastes and textures without causing harm or supporting unsustainable practices. Exploring these creative options facilitates making compassionate and eco-friendly dietary choices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, for a vegan, salmon is considered an animal and therefore a form of meat. Veganism excludes all animals from the diet, regardless of whether they live on land or in the water.

Vegans avoid fish for ethical, environmental, and health reasons. They believe fish are sentient beings that feel pain, are concerned about overfishing and ocean pollution, and wish to avoid potential contaminants like mercury.

No, a person who eats fish but otherwise follows a plant-based diet is called a pescetarian, not a vegan. A vegan diet strictly prohibits all animal products.

Vegans can use a variety of plant-based ingredients to mimic salmon, including marinated and scored tofu fillets, smoky carrot lox for bagels, or shredded jackfruit for salads.

Vegans can get omega-3 fatty acids from plant-based sources like algae oil, flax seeds, chia seeds, and walnuts. Fish obtain their omega-3s from algae, so going straight to the source is a direct alternative.

Yes, scientific evidence increasingly shows that fish have the neurological capacity to feel pain and stress. This sentience is a major ethical motivator for vegans to avoid consuming them.

Yes, significant environmental reasons exist. These include the damaging effects of commercial fishing (bycatch, habitat destruction) and the pollution and ethical concerns associated with fish farms.