What is it called when you are vegan but eat fish?

December 22, 2025 •

2 min read

According to a 2020 Economist/YouGov survey, approximately 3% of American adults identified as pescetarian, the term for when you are vegan but eat fish. This dietary pattern blends plant-based eating with the inclusion of seafood, a lifestyle choice with growing popularity for health, environmental, and ethical reasons.

Quick Summary

Pescetarianism describes a plant-based diet supplemented with fish and other seafood. This dietary pattern excludes all other land animals and is adopted for various health, ethical, or environmental motivations.

Key Points

Pescetarianism Defined: It is the dietary practice of eating a plant-based diet with the addition of fish and other seafood.
Not Vegan or Vegetarian: A pescetarian is not a vegan, as they eat fish, nor are they a vegetarian, as a traditional vegetarian diet excludes all fish and meat.
Nutrient-Rich Diet: Incorporating fish provides vital nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, protein, and zinc that can be harder to get from a strictly plant-based diet.
Health and Environmental Motivations: People adopt pescetarianism for improved heart health, reduced cancer risk, and a lower environmental footprint compared to diets heavy in land animal meat.
Risks and Sustainability: Potential concerns include mercury exposure from certain fish and the sustainability of fishing practices, making conscious choices important.
Flexibility: The diet allows for flexibility, with some pescetarians including dairy and eggs while others adhere to a more plant-forward approach.

The specific term for an individual who follows a primarily plant-based diet but includes fish and other seafood is pescetarian. This dietary pattern is distinct from both veganism and vegetarianism. While vegans exclude all animal products, including meat, dairy, eggs, and fish, pescetarians incorporate seafood. The word 'pescetarian' combines the Italian term for fish, 'pesce', with 'vegetarian'.

What Defines a Pescetarian Diet?

A pescetarian diet is essentially a type of semi-vegetarianism, centered on plant-based foods but supplemented with seafood as a protein source. This approach offers flexibility while aligning with many benefits of reduced red meat consumption. A typical pescetarian diet includes plant-based items plus fish and shellfish, often excluding red meat and poultry.

Reasons People Adopt Pescetarianism

Individuals choose pescetarianism for a mix of health, environmental, and ethical reasons. Health motivations often involve avoiding red and processed meats. Environmentally conscious individuals may choose it due to lower resource use compared to livestock farming and may prioritize sustainable fishing practices. Ethical considerations can relate to views on consuming fish versus land animals.

Comparison of Vegan, Vegetarian, and Pescetarian Diets


Feature	Vegan	Vegetarian	Pescetarian
Land Animal Meat (Beef, Pork, Chicken)	Excluded	Excluded	Excluded
Fish and Seafood	Excluded	Excluded	Included
Dairy Products	Excluded	Included (Lacto-vegetarian)	Optional/Included
Eggs	Excluded	Included (Ovo-vegetarian)	Optional/Included
Main Protein Sources	Legumes, nuts, seeds, soy products	Legumes, dairy, eggs, soy products	Fish, seafood, legumes, dairy, eggs
Primary Motivation	Ethical (animal rights), environmental, health	Health, environmental, ethical	Health, environmental, ethical
B12 Considerations	Requires supplementation	Often sufficient from eggs/dairy	Often sufficient from seafood, eggs/dairy

Potential Considerations for Pescetarianism

A pescetarian diet offers benefits but also requires careful consideration. Potential concerns include mercury contamination from certain types of fish and ensuring the environmental sustainability of seafood choices. Nutrient planning is also important, particularly for vitamins like B12, iron, and zinc found in seafood, and calcium and vitamin D if dairy and eggs are excluded.

Tips for Following a Balanced Pescetarian Diet

A balanced approach emphasizes plant foods as the base, includes a variety of fish for nutrients like omega-3s, and recommends selecting sustainable seafood while being mindful of mercury levels in different species. Exploring diverse culinary styles that feature fish and plant-based ingredients can also be beneficial.

Conclusion

To reiterate, the term for someone who is vegan but eats fish is pescetarian. This dietary approach combines a plant-based diet with the inclusion of fish and seafood, distinguishing it from strict veganism which omits all animal products. Pescetarianism is adopted for various health benefits, environmental considerations, and ethical viewpoints. While offering nutritional advantages like omega-3s and flexibility, it also requires attention to potential concerns like mercury levels and fishing sustainability. Understanding these aspects allows individuals to make informed choices about adopting this popular and potentially sustainable dietary pattern.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, a pescetarian is not technically a vegetarian. While they both abstain from land animal meat, the key difference is that a pescetarian includes fish and other seafood, whereas a vegetarian does not.

It varies. Many pescetarians also consume dairy and eggs, similar to a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet, but some may choose to exclude them. The inclusion of fish is the defining factor.

A pescetarian diet is associated with numerous health benefits, including lower rates of heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. Fish provides a significant source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which is often a key motivator.

A pescetarian strictly avoids all land animal meat and poultry but eats fish. A flexitarian follows a mostly plant-based diet but occasionally consumes meat or poultry, and may also include fish.

Potential drawbacks include the risk of mercury contamination from certain fish species and concerns about the environmental sustainability of the fishing industry. Careful selection of fish is recommended.

Pescetarians have many excellent protein sources, including fish and seafood, as well as plant-based options like legumes, nuts, seeds, and tofu. If they consume dairy and eggs, these also contribute significantly.

Pescetarianism is generally considered more sustainable than a traditional meat-inclusive diet due to a lower environmental footprint. However, the level of sustainability depends heavily on choosing seafood from well-managed, sustainable fisheries.