No, vegetarians do not eat fish or seafood.
Understanding Vegetarian Diets
Vegetarianism encompasses a range of dietary choices, but a core principle is the avoidance of meat. This includes:
- Meat: Beef, pork, chicken, lamb, etc.
- Fish: All types of fish, including tuna, salmon, and cod.
- Seafood: Shellfish like shrimp, crab, lobster, and mollusks like clams and oysters.
- Animal by-products: Gelatin, certain types of rennet (though vegetarian rennet is available).
While many vegetarians consume dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt) and eggs, the defining characteristic is the exclusion of animal flesh, which explicitly includes fish and seafood. Individuals who consume fish are often referred to as pescatarians, not vegetarians.
Some people may follow a mostly vegetarian diet but occasionally include fish, but this is not considered vegetarianism. The core definition emphasizes avoiding all animal flesh.
Reference Information: There are different types of vegetarians but in general they do not eat any meat, fish, seafood or animal by-products such as gelatine, but the majority of vegetarians do eat some animal products, mainly milk, cheese (made with vegetarian rennet) and eggs. Some people eat a mostly vegetarian diet, but also eat fish.
