Environmental Ethics: Analysis of the Faroe Islands Whaling Tradition

This essay delves into the controversial whaling tradition of the Faroe Islands, known as grindadrap, where pilot whales are hunted. It outlines the historical context, the involvement of the local population and the government of Denmark, and the tools used in the slaughter. The essay highlights the concerns raised by international organizations like AWI, PETA, WDC, and Pro Wildlife regarding the brutality of the practice, the lack of regulations, and the potential impact on whale populations. It also discusses the environmental consequences, including the impact on the food diversity of other marine creatures and the health risks associated with the consumption of whale meat contaminated with toxins and mercury. The essay references various sources and documentaries to support its arguments, emphasizing the need for a critical examination of this long-standing tradition and its implications on animal welfare and environmental sustainability.

Ethics and Environment

TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUESTION 1..................................................................................................................................1
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................3

QUESTION 1
The Faroe Island is the place in North America which is having population of just about
50000 people. But they are having old age tradition since 16th century of bloody whaling called
grindadrap and locally known as grind. Under this tradition there is pilot killing of whales which
are spotted on coast of one of the islands all local people sail out in sea searching for whales and
then brutally killing them on sand of beaches. All this is done by using special tools of killing
these whales (Sea of red: the Faroe Islands’ controversial whale-killing tradition, 2018). There
are number of people who are watching this tradition while setting on rocks of beach whereas all
hunters are gathered on beach. The islanders are allowed to hunt whales by law under this annual
slaughter and it is also partially done by government of Denmark.
This is mainly done due to prepare the residents of Faroe Island for the harsh winter
months. Then this meat of mammals is consumed during the time of winter while their organs
are used as bait for fishing (Fielding, Davis and Singleton, 2015). It is estimated that hundreds of
whales are slaughtered whole sea due this become blood red with the blood of whales. 18405
whales are killed during the last 20 years which includes highest in number to 1746 in year 2017.
Apart from the partial support from government of Denmark this tradition is expressed as
a very big concern about huge number of mammal killing as it does not have any statistic of
number of whales killed each year. International organisations like that of Animal Welfare
Institute (AWI), PETA campaign, Whale Dolphin Conservation (WDC) and Pro Wildlife are
urging for petition in way of ending this particular tradition. It was included by PETA that
whales are highly sensible and intelligent mammals who feel pain of each other’s death as it was
seen them swimming around blood of their family members (Bloch and Mikkelsen, 2017).
Moreover these whales are not endangered species but due to lack of the regulations and such old
brutal rituals of Faroe Island will be reducing the population of whales in coming century.
This activity or ritual will be having impact on the sustainability of whales as well as they
are regarded to as non-extinct species but then also this activity will be a great threat for their
existence. The blood of whales will be hampering the food diversity of other creature who are
living in water and also to them who are then feeding on the left out rotten meat of whales.
There is also an anti-hunting campaign known as Sea Shepherd who released their
statistics that about 1000 whales are killed each year during the summer major of the meat is
eaten by them and rest is left rotten (The Islands and the Whales review – a community poisoned,
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2018). The organisation of conserving animal rights every summer sending their crew members
with their boats to prevent all people from slaughtering but they are all arrested and their boats
and seized. In the documentary of Mike Day it was included that way of living life is
disappearing against the cruelty of whale hunting which is majorly due to the weather beaten
people who are suffering from this due to globalisation and pollution as well. There are certain
health related issues which is noticed by doctors of Faroe Island which is because meat of whale
is mixed with heavy amount of toxins and mercury. The intake of which results into disability of
cognitive function, reduced IQ’s and increased risk of Parkinson disease.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Bloch, D. and Mikkelsen, B., 2017. Catch history and distribution of white-sided dolphin
(Lagenorhynchus acutus) of the Faroe Islands/Veiðisøga og útbreiðsla av skjórutum springara
(Lagenorhynchus acutus) í Føroyum. Fróðskaparrit-Faroese Scientific Journal. 57. pp.190-
198.
Fielding, R., Davis, J.E. and Singleton, B., 2015. Mutual aid, environmental policy, and the
regulation of Faroese pilot whaling. Human Geography. 8(3). pp.37-48.
Online:
Sea of red: the Faroe Islands’ controversial whale-killing tradition. 2018. [Online]. Accessed
through: <http://observers.france24.com/en/20180803-faroe-islands-controversial-whale-
killing-grindadrap>.
The Islands and the Whales review – a community poisoned. 2018. [Online]. Accessed through:
<https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/mar/29/the-islands-and-the-whales-review-a-
community-poisoned>.
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