[niemamczasu]

The impression I got was that laypeople are free to follow the precepts to the best of their ability within the real-life limitations of their station in life. Economic and physical survival take priority over the precepts, I think.

That is also my experience in Thailand. The monks (in general) will not say fishermen, for example, are breaking the 1st precept

The monks will say the fishermen are engaged in livelihood for their families