Why Do Some Vegetarians Still Eat Fish?

According to a 2018 Ipsos MORI survey, approximately 3% of adults worldwide identify as pescatarians, meaning they follow a vegetarian-style diet but also consume fish. This practice, which often confuses those unfamiliar with the distinctions, sheds light on the varied motivations behind vegetarianism and explains why some vegetarians still eat fish.

Quick Summary

People who follow a mostly plant-based diet but include fish are not vegetarians, but rather pescatarians. Their reasons often stem from seeking specific health benefits, ethical distinctions regarding animal welfare, or environmental concerns.

Key Points

• Pescatarians vs. Vegetarians: A person who eats a plant-based diet plus fish is a pescatarian, not a vegetarian, as vegetarians avoid all animal flesh.

• Nutritional Benefits: Eating fish provides pescatarians with reliable sources of nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin B12, which can be difficult to obtain on a strict vegetarian diet.

• Ethical Rationale: Some pescatarians operate on the belief that fish are less sentient than land animals, though this is a point of scientific and ethical debate.

• Environmental Impact: A pescatarian diet generally has a lower environmental footprint, particularly in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, compared to a diet that includes red meat.

• Health Risks: Consuming fish carries potential risks, including exposure to mercury and other contaminants, especially in larger predatory fish.

• Overfishing Concerns: Environmental concerns related to pescatarianism include overfishing and unsustainable practices that can harm marine ecosystems.

Debunking the Myth: Understanding Pescatarianism

The most important distinction to understand is that true vegetarians, by definition, do not eat any animal flesh, including fish. Those who consume a plant-based diet plus fish are actually called pescatarians. This term, a portmanteau of the Italian word pesce (fish) and 'vegetarian,' was coined in the UK in the late 1980s. While the terms are often conflated, the motivations behind this dietary pattern are distinct and deserve closer examination.

Health Motivations for Including Fish

Many individuals choose to follow a pescatarian diet primarily for its health benefits, which align with those of a plant-based diet while avoiding some nutritional pitfalls associated with strict vegetarianism. Fish offers a rich source of specific nutrients that are harder to obtain from plants alone, making it an attractive addition for those mindful of their health.

Rich Source of Omega-3 Fatty Acids

• Brain and heart health: Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines are some of the best dietary sources of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, specifically eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These nutrients are crucial for brain function and reducing the risk of heart disease by lowering blood pressure and triglycerides. While plant-based sources of omega-3s, like flaxseeds and walnuts, contain alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), the body's conversion to EPA and DHA is inefficient.
• Anti-inflammatory effects: Omega-3s also possess anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce the risk of chronic inflammatory diseases.

Essential Vitamin B12

• Preventing deficiency: Vitamin B12 is almost exclusively found in animal products. For strict vegetarians, particularly vegans, obtaining sufficient B12 requires fortified foods or supplements. For pescatarians, fish provides a convenient and natural source of this vital nutrient, which is essential for nerve function and red blood cell formation.

Ethical and Environmental Distinctions

While traditional vegetarianism is often driven by a strong ethical stance against killing animals, some people make a moral distinction between land animals and fish. Others are motivated by a desire to reduce the environmental footprint associated with meat production.

Animal Welfare Perceptions

• Sentience debate: The long-held belief that fish do not feel pain or fear in the same way as more complex mammals or birds influences some people's ethical calculus. However, recent scientific evidence, including the discovery of nociceptors (pain receptors) in fish, challenges this view, suggesting fish are sentient creatures.
• Comparative suffering: Some pescatarians may feel that the suffering inflicted on wild-caught fish, whose lives are shorter, is less severe than the years of confinement experienced by factory-farmed land animals.

Reduced Environmental Impact

• Lower carbon footprint: On average, producing seafood generates fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to raising land animals like beef and lamb. Studies have shown that a pescatarian diet can significantly reduce one's dietary carbon footprint compared to an omnivorous diet.
• Resource efficiency: From a resource perspective, fish and shellfish farming can be more efficient in converting feed into protein than raising terrestrial livestock, requiring less land and water.

Comparison of Diet Types: Vegetarian vs. Pescatarian

This table highlights the key differences between these two predominantly plant-based diets.

Feature	Strict Vegetarian Diet	Pescatarian Diet
Animal Flesh	Excludes all animal flesh, including fish and poultry.	Excludes all land animal flesh (beef, chicken, pork) but includes fish and seafood.
Dairy & Eggs	Often includes dairy (lacto) and/or eggs (ovo), though not always.	Typically includes dairy and eggs.
Protein Sources	Primarily plant-based: legumes, beans, tofu, nuts, and eggs/dairy if included.	Primarily plant-based with fish and seafood as additional high-quality protein sources.
Omega-3s (EPA/DHA)	Can be deficient without careful planning and supplementation, as ALA conversion is inefficient.	Easily obtained through fatty fish, which are excellent sources.
Vitamin B12	Requires fortified foods or supplements for an adequate supply.	Easily obtained from fish and other seafood.
Ethical Considerations	Often based on the ethical principle of abstaining from all animal slaughter for food.	May involve a moral distinction between aquatic and terrestrial animals or be seen as a stepping stone to full vegetarianism.

Potential Drawbacks of a Pescatarian Diet

While offering several advantages, the pescatarian diet is not without its risks and ethical considerations.

• Contaminant exposure: Fish, especially larger, longer-lived species like swordfish and shark, can accumulate harmful chemicals such as mercury and PCBs. Excessive consumption can lead to health risks, particularly for pregnant women and young children.
• Overfishing and bycatch: The environmental impact of commercial fishing practices, including overfishing and bycatch (the capture of unintended marine life like dolphins and turtles), raises significant sustainability concerns.
• Fish sentience: The growing body of evidence that fish can experience pain and emotion means that eating them for ethical reasons is a more complex issue than previously thought.

Conclusion: A Flexible Middle Ground

Ultimately, the practice of consuming a vegetarian diet with the addition of fish is a dietary choice, not a form of true vegetarianism. The pescatarian diet allows people to combine the health benefits of a plant-heavy approach—such as reduced saturated fat intake and higher fiber consumption—with the nutritional advantages of fish, including a reliable source of omega-3s and vitamin B12. However, it's a decision that involves balancing personal health goals with ethical and environmental considerations surrounding fish sentience, overfishing, and potential contaminant exposure. This hybrid eating pattern is a compromise for many, offering a flexible path toward a healthier and often more environmentally conscious lifestyle without the stricter limitations of a full vegetarian or vegan diet.

Ethical and Health Considerations of Pescatarianism

• Health over ethics: Some individuals prioritize personal health, viewing fish consumption as a necessary compromise to ensure adequate intake of nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids that are challenging to get from a purely plant-based diet.
• Environmental footprint: Many pescatarians adopt this diet to reduce their environmental impact, recognizing that the production of fish generally has a lower carbon footprint than meat from land animals.
• Perceived sentience: A common, though scientifically debated, rationale is the belief that fish and shellfish feel less pain or fear than mammals, making their consumption ethically more palatable.
• Dietary flexibility: For some, pescatarianism is a flexible and less restrictive option than vegetarianism, making it easier to stick with long-term while still enjoying many meals.
• Stepping stone: Others may use a pescatarian diet as a transitional phase toward becoming a vegetarian, gradually phasing out all animal products over time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a pescatarian diet healthier than a vegetarian diet?

Both diets offer significant health benefits compared to an omnivorous diet. The pescatarian diet, however, provides a more readily available source of EPA and DHA omega-3s and Vitamin B12, which can be challenging to obtain from a purely plant-based diet.

Do fish feel pain, and does that matter to pescatarians?

The scientific community's understanding of fish sentience is evolving, with evidence suggesting fish can feel pain, contrary to long-held beliefs. Some pescatarians may make an ethical distinction between fish and land animals, while others may not be aware of this research.

What kind of fish are best to eat on a pescatarian diet?

Health experts recommend choosing low-mercury fish and sustainably sourced seafood. Good options include salmon, sardines, and trout, while large predatory fish like swordfish and shark should be limited.

Can pescatarians get enough protein without meat?

Yes, a pescatarian diet provides ample protein from fish, seafood, and the plant-based components of the diet, such as legumes, nuts, and tofu.

Is pescatarianism a stepping stone to vegetarianism?

For some, it is. Many people use a pescatarian diet as a transition, but others view it as a permanent dietary choice, balancing personal health and environmental concerns with food preferences.

How does pescatarianism impact the environment?

While generally having a lower carbon footprint than meat-heavy diets, pescatarianism's environmental impact depends heavily on the type of seafood consumed. Concerns remain about overfishing, bycatch, and potential habitat damage.

Why do some religions permit eating fish but not other meats?

Some religious practices, such as in certain forms of Christianity or Judaism, have historical interpretations that permit fish while restricting land animal meat. For example, in some traditions, fish are considered distinct from land animals or seen as a fasting food.