Why do vegetarians have a problem with people eating fish?

Question

I know that people who eat fish are not strictly vegetarian, but why do vegetarians have such a problem with it? Isn't it better to at least not eat some types of meat than to eat all meats? One vegetarian friend once told a fish-eater that "there is no point being vegetarian if you don't do it properly". This almost made him start eating meat again.

I just want people's feedback on this.

So I guess the core of my question was this: why do vegetarians seem to have more of a problem with people who eat fish than people who are totally non-vegetarian?

Answer 1

I don't think it's so much that people have a problem with their food choices as much as they have a problem with them calling themselves vegetarians because it confuses people and inevitably you'll end up coming across a person who says "OH, you're a vegetarian - I made youa tuna sandwich" because somewhere along the line that person knew a fish-eater who called themselves vegetarians.

It's like people who give up some cholesterol-filled animal flesh but not other cholesterol-filled animal flesh still want to be part of the veggie club, but guess what, fish-eaters. You don't get that privledge. So please stop being a wannabe and call yourself what you are, NOT a vegetarian.

Answer 2

People who have a problem with people just for eating fish are silly. I have no such problem.

My problem, and I think this is what actually offends most vegetarians, is when people eating fish refer to themselves as vegetarians. They are not, and they cause issues for those of us who are by confusing everyone else. When I go to a restaurant asking for the vegetarian menu, and it contains fish, what am I supposed to do? Similarly, if at a party or some other such social function, when I'm told something is vegetarian, I have to keep prying just to be certain it is. It's quite annoying.

If you cut out all the meat except fish, that's great. It's in general a far healthier way to live, and environmentally more responsible. The name for the lifestyle is pescatarian, though.

Answer 3

I don't have a problem with people eating fish; I have a problem with people eating fish and then calling themselves vegetarian. It's a semantics thing.

Your judgmental vegetarian friend is just hurting the cause. I applaud any efforts to reduce meat consumption and cutting it down to just fish does reduce suffering. I secretly harbor a hope that all those pescetarians out there come around and go vegetarian eventually, but in the meantime they're doing better than most omnivores. And confronting them the way your friend did is probably the least likely way to convince them to cut out the fish.

Answer 4

You know, when I started out I was vegetarian then slowly became vegan, for health reasons. Sushi was my favorite food but I gave up ALL meat including fish because I agree with what many posters here have said: Fish IS meat. Now it is someone's choice to eat or not eat any type of meat fish dairy poultry whatever. But improper labeling does irritate some purists so I would advise them to go with pescatarian which should offend no one (but probably require some explanation since most people don't know what the Heck that means.)

One problem I have is when in a restaurant without trying to sound So. Flipping. Picky. but then I end up getting some type of animal product slathered on my meal that I carefully ordered to be vegan. Last night at a popular chain restaurant I carefully ordered a salad with no cheese and no bacon. I have had salads at this place for years so I THOUGHT I knew what they came with. Imagine my surprise when my salad arrived, no cheese...no bacon...covered in CRUMBLED EGG! AAAAAAAAAAACK! I feel that I can't win. I picked it off and picked around it but it was there. :(

Answer 5

I agree. I am veg because of spiritual reasons; however, I understand that fish and poultry have a far different level of conciousness that say cows and pigs. I would therfore encourage someone to quit red meat and pork and then gradually cut out the poultry and seafood. Anyone with half a brain can figure that out. I personally don't think anyone has a right to tell anyone else what to eat. I've met vegans that hate lacto-vegetarians. True, the dairy industry supports the meat industry but you can't expect the whole world to change overnight. I mean COME ON!!! Mind your own business and LOVE everyone. Spread knowledge to those who desire it and leave the rest of 'em alone. Ya know?! BTW Seafood tends to be pretty contaminated so it's not really a good choice either and chickens are raised in ****-houses and mutated to yield more breast. Leafy greens are the ultimate health food and should be consumed daily--either raw or very lightly steamed.

Answer 6

I'm vegetarian and have been for a long time.
A fish is an animal so obviously if you dont eat animals (a vegetarian) you dont eat fish.
I dont like it when people eat any kind of animal but I'm not going to scold people about it.
I just simply tell people why I am a vegetarian and hope that maybe they will eventually be too through knowing me and witnessing my meat-free life.
I would rather someone just eat fish than eat fish and other animals but I would confront them if they claimed to be vegetarian and tell them that they arent.

Answer 7

Vegetarians don't have a problem with people eating fish anymore than they have a problem with people eating beef or pork. It's all the same.

"One vegetarian friend once told a fish-eater that "there is no point being vegetarian if you don't do it properly". This almost made him start eating meat again."------Your friend is eating meat already. They are eating fish. Who told you fish isn't meat? The Pope?? Meat = animal flesh.

Your one friend should have told the other "you can't call yourself a vegetarian because you eat meat" and if your friend is so insecure that they'd start eating meat just because of what the other friend said, they should do some introspection.

Answer 8

I don't think there's any problem with people eating fish, it's that the people who are eating fish call themselves vegetarians -- and they're not. It's a pain having to explain "I'm a vegetarian, and no I don't want any shrimp or salmon either". It's even worse to be told that the soup you're eating is veg and then discovering a shrimp floating in it.

That's all. :)

Answer 9

It's not the eating of fish. The the eating of fish and calling yourself vegetarian that we have a problem with.

There are a lot of people who eat poultry and call themselves vegetarian, but it doesn't seem to be as common and is it with those who eat fish.

People who eat beef and pork generally don't call themselves vegetarians.

"Vegetarian" means not eating animals. When folks call themselves vegetarian and eat animals they have made the word meaningless and it causes confusion.

The only people who will say vegetarian includes fish are people who eat meat.

Answer 10

I had a friend who said he was vegetarian, but still ate fish.

I told him that "you're not a vegetarian if you consume animals."

He said that fish isn't a meat, and therefore its ok. Needless to say, we never spoke again.

Stop calling yourself a vegetarian if you still eat meat. For me, eating meat wasn't better, but made me extremely ill