Dolphin hunting is a centuries-old practice in the Faroe Islands.
But tradition faces a new test after more than 1,400 aquatic mammals died Sunday in a record-breaking massacre that has sparked outcry among local residents and global environmental groups.
Hunting in the North Atlantic Islands is not done for commercial purposes and is authorized by the government, but even those who support the practice expressed concern about this year’s event which could lead to a major exam.
For hundreds of years, residents of the Faroe Islands have participated in the annual hunting tradition, known as “grind” or grindadráp in Faroese. It looks like pilot whales, the second largest species of dolphins following killer whales, and other dolphins gathered in fjords before being stabbed to death.
The remote island tradition reached the global audience in the Netflix documentary “Seaspiracy” earlier this year.
According to the Faroese government, the practice is “fully regulated” and considered “sustainable”, with approximately 600 pilot whales and 250 white-faced dolphins caught on average each year in the last two decades.
Sunday’s capture exceeded that average, however, with the Seattle-based Sea Shepherd Conservation Society estimating that at least 1,428 white-faced dolphins died in what the organization called a “cruel and unnecessary hunt.” “.
“Given the times we live in, with a global pandemic and the world stopping, it’s absolutely horrible to see an attack on the nature of this scale in the Faroe Islands,” said Alex Cornelissen, CEO of Sea Shepherd Global , in a statement. .
“If we have learned anything from this pandemic it is that we must live in harmony with nature rather than eliminate it.”
The animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has long called for an end to the “bloody slaughter of whales” in the Faroe Islands.
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Bjarni Mikkelsen, a marine biologist from the Faroe Islands, said the catch represented the largest number of dolphins killed in a single day on the islands. Prior to that, he said the highest number had been 1,200 in 1940.
Traditionally, he said, the grindadráp is “very well organized and, when driving occurs, there are enough people on the beach that the harvest rarely lasts more than ten minutes.”
On Sunday, he said, the massacre lasted just under an hour and caused disturbing scenes on the coast that shook local residents.
He said he believed the hunters were unprepared for the significant school of white-faced dolphins they encountered, with ferocious hunts that typically focus on pilot whales, which are larger and therefore provide more meat. .
Páll Nolsøe, a spokesman for the Faroese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Culture, acknowledged that Sunday’s catches were “exceptionally large”. And, he said Wednesday, “there is no doubt that whaling is a dramatic sight for people unfamiliar with hunting.”
However, he claimed that even Sunday’s catches would be considered sustainable by the Faroese government, with hunting practice helping to sustain communities through local media.
“It is very important to understand that the basis of whaling in the Faroe Islands is to provide food,” he said. “The meat is distributed among the participants … and also to the local communities.”
In addition, he noted that whale attractions have occurred in the Faroe Islands “since the time of the Vikings,” so many “consider the mole” to be an important part of the identity and cultural heritage of the Faroe Islands.
Mikkelsen said “all the meat” from Sunday’s trip was distributed to local communities in the Faroe Islands. “At least that’s positive,” he said.
However, he said he believes the weekend incident highlights, at the very least, the need to have regulations on how many dolphins can be killed each year, as well as on a single trip.
Nolsøe said that while those involved in grinding are required to obtain permission from local authorities and are subject to animal welfare rules that require animals to be killed “as quickly and effectively as possible.” there are currently no established rules around how many dolphins. it can be sacrificed.
As the aftermath of Sunday’s hunt continues, he said, it could soon be discussed.