PETA protesters outside the New England Aquarium

This family doesn't mind eating what's served at the aquarium's cafe

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BOSTON (CNN) -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) picketed the New England Aquarium Thursday, to protest the fact that fish are both on display (in tanks) and on the menu (in the cafeteria).

Members carried placards telling aquarium visitors that "Fish are friends, not food" and "Fishing hurts." One protester even dressed in a fish suit to illustrate the group's message: Fish shouldn't be on plates at a place that claims to cherish them.

"I'm sure it must be a very moving experience to see all these beautiful, incredible animals swimming around. And then we go and put a fork in them in the cafeteria. It's just unnecessary," said Dawn Carr, a PETA spokeswoman.

The aquarium defended itself in a statement on its Web site.

"While it may seem contradictory that a public aquarium, whose mission is to present, promote and protect the world of water, is serving seafood, we don't think it's so strange. People have eaten seafood for thousands of years," the statement said.

The animals in the exhibits never end up on the menu, and the seafood items sold in the cafeteria during the day and served at evening functions are all species from healthy populations caught using responsible fishing practices, according to the aquarium's statement.

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"We make every effort to ensure that the seafood we serve comes from a sustainable source, a fishery where people are permitted to harvest only as much fish as the ecosystem can continue to replenish," the statement said.

PETA wants the aquarium to adopt a vegetarian menu with fake seafood, such as tuna and salmon made from soybeans.

As it turns out, hot dogs are the top seller at the aquarium's Harbor Cafe. However, other favorites are fish sandwiches, fish nuggets and clam chowder. The menu for evening functions is more upscale and includes grilled shrimp, tuna, crab cakes and salmon.

Todd Mulder, the aquarium's food services director, pointed out that other foods on the menu, including the hamburgers and chicken sandwiches, were once alive. If he only served food without a face, he would face unemployment, Mulder said.

"Unfortunately," he said, "I think most eating is heartless."