In the past sixty years, demand for seafood products for human consumption has increased sixfold. With increasing wealth, increased attention for healthy diets and increasing concerns for environmental issues, it is expected that people will shift away from the consumption of terrestrial animals and move towards pescatarian, vegetarian and vegan dietary patterns. As a result, it is expected that the demand for aquatic animals will keep increasing in the upcoming decade. This thesis project examines the dietary motivations and sustainability concerns of pescatarians, a specific group of individuals who exclude the consumption of meat from terrestrial animals and while still consuming aquatic animals. The study aims to gain insights into the factors driving dietary choices and explore the relationship between these choices and sustainability considerations. Furthermore, by investigating the consumption choices made by pescatarians, the research sheds light on the broader implications for sustainable food systems.

Yes / Meat eaters and meat abstainers differ in their beliefs and moral emotions related to meat consumption alongside gender differences. Few studies have investigated beliefs and moral emotions in pescatarians and vegans. Little is known about differences in moral emotions and beliefs regarding dairy, eggs, and fish or about speciesist beliefs within and between specific dietary groups. To address this gap, we investigated moral emotions (consumption-related disgust and guilt), attitudes towards animals (Animal Attitudes Scale) and justifying beliefs related to meat (Carnism Inventory), dairy, egg, and fish consumption in omnivores (n = 167), pescatarians (n = 110), vegetarians (n = 116), and vegans (n = 149). Results showed that people who consumed animal-derived products reported lower disgust and guilt and held stronger justifying beliefs about consumption of these products, than those who did not consume animal products. All dietary groups significantly differed from each other in their attitudes about using animals for human benefit, with omnivores showing the least positive attitudes towards animals, followed by pescatarians and vegetarians, and with vegans showing the most positive attitudes towards animals. Women experienced greater moral emotions and held fewer justifying beliefs than men within groups where animal products were consumed and this was related to the animal-based products they consume (i.e., fish for pescatarians and eggs/dairy for vegetarians). These findings emphasise the importance of considering a wider range of animal products, and dietary groups in order to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the psychological underpinnings of animal product consumption. The results highlight differences between dietary groups in attitudes and moral concern towards animals, which may be important to consider when designing interventions to reduce animal product consumption.