Why do some religious Jews eat pork and shrimp?

Re Fish

OTTOMH, yep. Cows, sheep, and fowl all have to killed and prepared in a specific way. But, there aren’t any rules governing the killing and preparation of fish. A fish must have fins and scales to be kosher, but that’s it.

If an Orthodox Jew is willing to eat in a nonkosher restaurant (many are not) fish or a vegetarian meal are the only options.