Fish Eating "Vegetarians"

Original Post by djane:

My point is that, once upon a time and to Catholics, fish was not considered a 'meat.' So, I can understand how there are people who don't eat red meat, poultry or the 'other' white meat, do eat fish.  So, there is an historical context underpinning fish eatin' vegetarians.

BTW, society has lots of ways to use words to redefine/refine meanings. So, guys in the army do not 'murder.'

 

I'm with you. I always grew up thinking of fish not as meat but as just another category (of protein). So I personally don't mind it... I always thought there were quite a few vegetarians who also ate fish.

For those of you who eat fish, do you also eat all seafood? In particular, lobster and/or crab. If so, I'm wondering, have you read 'Consider the Lobster' by David Foster Wallace? 

Why are so many posts in all sorts of forums about vegetarian issues so concerned with pescatarians or ovo-lacto vegetarians?

A lot of effort is spent fretting over what other people are doing and saying which seems silly to me.

I belong to a recipe site and it's the same. You'd think people would just be spending time sharing recipes and new food finds instead of fretting over what other people label themselves. How does it affect anyone else besides the individual one way or another?

Just consider it advertising for increased awareness of non-meat eating culture.

moordriver nice bunny bi the way :OD its truw i agre its like afrenzy but to go bac to the food topic i now i lost since last yer october i thinck i lost 21ponds i took the california dieat i had now choice becuse of mi hips i have artros end fybrosmialgia  so tha wath had to com ouat end it did i cut alot of bread i dont eat pastas so that did alredy healpt end never greessy thing fast food i alwas youse olive oil for the recepy its all in mi head i cood say end the thing abut loosing wath healps wen you dont geath bord with the cooking resolt . ladypitbullace

Original Post by tasha_01:

I don't know why it's such a big deal to everyone. What does it matter if a person eats fish, vegies, meat or birds??? It is fine to say that a person is a "Vegitarian" and eat fish, I do. I only say "Vegitarian" so the people I eat with don't ask a bunch of bologna questions. Meat, whether it be chicken or pork or cow does not agree with my stomach. However, tuna or other types of fish do. Even turkey hurts the stomach, don't know why this is but since I noticed the drastic changes in my body since I eliminated the heavy meat, I feel great and I've lost 11 pounds. I'm working towards at least 10-15 more to be a size 135. That's pretty healthy. And hey come on, what is all the talk about inhumanly killing fish? You're being silly. I don't ask you hey how does your cannibalist cow tastes, do I?? Or how great it is to cut off a head of a chicken and prepackage it for people do I? So give some people a break! That's just crazy. If you cared about how animals suffer, you wouldn't eat the meat. Some people don't even think about it, Survival of the Fittest or Fattest, ya know. Get a new topic, talk about weight loss and how stress eats at you literally and drink some water. : )

 If you don't like the topic, don't read it and post!

Original Post by moordriver:

Why are so many posts in all sorts of forums about vegetarian issues so concerned with pescatarians or ovo-lacto vegetarians?

A lot of effort is spent fretting over what other people are doing and saying which seems silly to me.

I belong to a recipe site and it's the same. You'd think people would just be spending time sharing recipes and new food finds instead of fretting over what other people label themselves. How does it affect anyone else besides the individual one way or another?

Just consider it advertising for increased awareness of non-meat eating culture.

 Personally, I do find it's an issue if you're out to eat at someone's house or at a restaurant and they assume you eat fish becuase all the other 'vegetarians' they've known have eaten fish.

Also, for many people, myself included, it is a moral/ethical issue and pescatarians who call themself veggie cheapens the cause. I don't know why people can't just say 'I eat mainly vegetarian', or 'I don't eat red meat and poultry'. Why do they need  to them need to label themselves and unnecassarily complicate matters?

I think a lot of time is spent on this and similar issues because for many actual veg*ans, it is a big part of our lives.

oh god that is horrible.i really dont think i could ever eat fish.i hate how it is all mass produced.i used to work in m&s and we had to thorw away all the gone off food and throwing away meat and things made me feel sick.althouh to be fair to my aunt im sure she checks how the fish was sourced!

Original Post by ladypitbullace:

Original Post by bluefaeryglitter:

I became an ovo-lacto vegetarian when I was 13 years old (I am 28 now). This means I don't eat any meat or seafood, but I do eat free range organic eggs & mostly organic dairy. I made the switch because I felt bad for the animals. I grew up next to a small dairy farm in New England. When I was a small child my dad would take me on walks to visit the cows. He would lift me up so I could reach over the fence & pet the cows. They were such kind gentle creatures. When I got into middle school I realized cheeseburgers were made from cows & ever since then I've been an ovo-lacto vegetarian.

This is an ethical lifestyle choice for me & I take it very seriously. get annoyed when people call themselves vegetarians, but they eat fish or other kinds of animal flesh. I did attempt to go vegan, but it wasn't for me. So instead I try to eat mostly organic dairy & only free range organic eggs.

So I do  i rely loved youre story i now i eat meet but i ame comming bac soone to mi tru belifs  end its incuraging reding you i belive that animal do suffer end i to try to by bio or organic or at list places that animal are free or at list not abused i resd mi kids vegtarien cince the day they wore born end they are verry healthy i donc bi anithing made with lether or tested on animals so i ame doing at list a part of it thack kare end thacks fore giving me a boost bicuse persanaly i dont like tofu so i eat alot of nuts it healps to balance protin dos aniwon have idiars for replacin tofu thahnck's ladypitbulace...

I never try to be preachy towards anyone about my lifestyle choice; being an ovo-lacto vegetarian. I am however always willing to discuss it with anyone that asks me about. It's a big part of my life. I do NOT do it to stay thin, but I'm sure that it does help keep me in good shape. For me it is completely an ethical decision.

Hey people!    If it has eyeballs it is an animal (there are other clues, also), When you eat fish, you are eating meat....granted it is not red meat but it is still meat, nonetheless. Vegetarians are called vegetarians because the VEGETARIANS DO NOT EAT MEAT.  FISH  IS MEAT.  Obviously, our English teachers are doing an extremely terrible job and should all be fired. I find these mistakes everywhere. It is extremely annoying.

Original Post by bluefaeryglitter:

Original Post by ladypitbullace:

Original Post by bluefaeryglitter:

I became an ovo-lacto vegetarian when I was 13 years old (I am 28 now). This means I don't eat any meat or seafood, but I do eat free range organic eggs & mostly organic dairy. I made the switch because I felt bad for the animals. I grew up next to a small dairy farm in New England. When I was a small child my dad would take me on walks to visit the cows. He would lift me up so I could reach over the fence & pet the cows. They were such kind gentle creatures. When I got into middle school I realized cheeseburgers were made from cows & ever since then I've been an ovo-lacto vegetarian.

This is an ethical lifestyle choice for me & I take it very seriously. get annoyed when people call themselves vegetarians, but they eat fish or other kinds of animal flesh. I did attempt to go vegan, but it wasn't for me. So instead I try to eat mostly organic dairy & only free range organic eggs.

So I do  i rely loved youre story i now i eat meet but i ame comming bac soone to mi tru belifs  end its incuraging reding you i belive that animal do suffer end i to try to by bio or organic or at list places that animal are free or at list not abused i resd mi kids vegtarien cince the day they wore born end they are verry healthy i donc bi anithing made with lether or tested on animals so i ame doing at list a part of it thack kare end thacks fore giving me a boost bicuse persanaly i dont like tofu so i eat alot of nuts it healps to balance protin dos aniwon have idiars for replacin tofu thahnck's ladypitbulace...

I never try to be preachy towards anyone about my lifestyle choice; being an ovo-lacto vegetarian. I am however always willing to discuss it with anyone that asks me about. It's a big part of my life. I do NOT do it to stay thin, but I'm sure that it does help keep me in good shape. For me it is completely an ethical decision.

i dont personaly see it as preaching but more shering it is very good becuse it dos open dors fore other peaplo that wood mabe 1 day wont some chages end ther life so it is more nice of youre part ove doing so i may say :O) wee can learn frome every one end nutrition  cud be fore conshios reson ore fisical ore only tast the thing is as long as peple respect ther choices i personely ame fore anti animal slather in every thing but stell respec animal eatr's en=very one hase ther choice to maque end dats wear it is so importent  shering thanck's fore reding me hope i dint give you a head ake hihi ladypitbullace....

Is anyone else amused by all these folks who can't imagine causing an animal to suffer, but who eviscerate fellow humans?

Original Post by djane:

Is anyone else amused by all these folks who can't imagine causing an animal to suffer, but who eviscerate fellow humans?

i wood love fore us to sher non animal produc in recepis it cud mabe healp dos hoo wood like to becume vegtariens or dos hoo are alredy are i no from exsperiace of rasing mi 2 kids in it  but it as alwas bin recepees in mi head lets sa not en eny book but i wood love it becus i hate eating meet personalie not by tast but crulte wise but i hate tofu so ?? have enywon have recepe idiers thanck's ladypitbullace...

Original Post by djane:

Is anyone else amused by all these folks who can't imagine causing an animal to suffer, but who eviscerate fellow humans?

 I don't advocate human suffering either....and humans are animals too.

No I'm not amused by people who can't imagine causing an animal to suffer, I'm proud of them and very pleased.

I don't eat red meat in general, or even chicken.  I just don't like the taste.  I will say that I don't classify myself as anything other than omnivore,  I eat a little bit of everything.  I really don't want or need fancy labels, I just don't care what people think.  I do eat seafood, but I don't consider myself vegetarian, and I am confused like most of you why people say they are when they really aren't.  When people ask me if I want a hot dog or hamburger and say no thanks to both, and they ask why, I just say I don't like them.  It's really that simple, no lie.

I was taught growing up that vegetarian meant not eating red meat, but nowI've learned it's a more extensive no eating meats at all, including fish.  The vegetarians I know that call themselves vegetarians who eat fish eat it for health reasons.  You need protein, and without it your body could have serious complications, so I think they still deserve the term vegetarian because it's a health need, not want, but if you eat it for any other reason than health issues, then you're not really.

  i don't call myself a vegetarian, however, most people for one reason or another can't comprehend that i don't eat any other meat besides fish so they all call me a 'vegetarian'. it's a tad irritating because i once was a full-out vegetarian and even vegan for a short time and i know the big difference.

  someone made the point that we don't believe fish suffer. in fact, that's true - at least for me. i'm under the impression they have no central nervous system without which one wouldn't feel any pain, right?

Original Post by kotey:

  i don't call myself a vegetarian, however, most people for one reason or another can't comprehend that i don't eat any other meat besides fish so they all call me a 'vegetarian'. it's a tad irritating because i once was a full-out vegetarian and even vegan for a short time and i know the big difference.

  someone made the point that we don't believe fish suffer. in fact, that's true - at least for me. i'm under the impression they have no central nervous system without which one wouldn't feel any pain, right?

 

It amazes me how often I've heard this.  Yes, fish have a central nervous system.  They are vertebrate animals.  It is not only possible but likely that fish experience pain, as pain is an evolutionary mechanism for avoiding danger.

Whether fish are sentient, i.e. conscious that they are in pain, is a much more complicated question.  But there is certainly evidence that suggests they are.

I agree with you.  I do not like it when people who eat any form of meat call themselves vegetarian.  When I was a vegetarian, my grandma would constantly ask if I still ate fish or sushi.  She (and, from the way they write in their posts, many people here) don't seem to realize that fish meat is still MEAT.  Although, I heave read that one of the definitions of meat (besides being animal tissue in the form of food) is "the flesh of a mammal as opposed to fowl or fish" so I suppose I could forgive those that don't consider fish "meat", even though it bugs the hell out of me.

Also, while I eat fish occasionally, I think that people who do it because they think it's somehow healthier for the environment than eating cows or chickens are either uninformed or lazy.  Firstly, as someone else pointed out fish farms are horrible for ocean ecosystems, and wild fish stocks are severely depleted.  Secondly, if you're going to use that as your reason, why don't you just put in a bit of effort and try to find mammal/fowl meat raised locally and with standards that you agree with (cage-free, grass-fed, humane, whatever).  It is, actually, possible to raise a cow/pig/chicken in a sustainable and humane manner.  Though I will relent and agree that in some places it is hard to find meat from mammals raised in such a way.

I think that I have decided that on my journey to becoming a vegetarian the only time Im going to eat fish is when I am forced to go out to eat by my parents.

Fish has feelings too I dont doubt that but its really just out of conviniance that I would eat a fish. Resturants are sadly limited on vegetarian options. However I might be able to convince my parents to choose 21 carrots cafe (only veggie cafe in ABQ) as a "eating out" choice.