Have you heard of the Faroe Islands? An autonomous part of Denmark, they are situated in the remote Atlantic region and are known for their scenic beauty. The islanders are also infamous for carrying out an unusual annual tradition – whaling. Grindadráp or the Grind is a local custom where the Danish kill pilot whales and white-sided dolphins by hand for their meat and blubber.
This is undertaken to feed the population as the catch is distributed among locals without an exchange of money. The government says it is a sustainable practice that makes the island self-sufficient and eliminates the need for imports.
https://twitter.com/janiece39c/status/1158572570335047680
The Sun quoted a 28-year-old local named Bjarki Dalsgarŏ saying,
“The meat can be boiled, broiled as a steak, or air-dried. Air-dried whale meat is quite common and is considered a bit of a delicacy.”
As per Mail Online reports, the 10th whale hunt of 2019 took place on 2nd August in the bay of Hvalvik, a village on the island of Streymoy. 23 pilot whales were killed this time around bringing the total number to 536 this year.
People Watch Sea Turn Red As 23 Whales Are Killed On Faroe Islands (Video) #extinction https://t.co/by3oOIOL6Q pic.twitter.com/nvSKLZWoiz
— Marc Suzdak (@msuzdak) August 6, 2019
The graphic images show how the waters have turned red with blood after the hunt. Which is why environmental activists have been campaigning to have it banned.
#GrindStopNews:
' The Other Side Of The Faroe Islands: Beautiful Islands, Barbaric Whale Hunts ' | For Centuries, The Local Community Has Participated In An Annual Whale Hunt In Which Hundreds Of Whales Are Killed In Drives Every Year. The Grindadráp..▼https://t.co/JXW4Dx5KuI pic.twitter.com/o792BiBR9i— Paul Millard 🇺🇸 (@SeaShepherdPaul) July 30, 2019
The EU has imposed a ban on the capture/killing of whales and dolphins, but in the Faroe Islands, Grindadráp has special cultural significance and is completely legal. Do you agree with the activists that the entire hunt is inhumane and treated like a sport? Or do you believe that the tradition is sustainable as the average annual catch is less than 1% of the total stock?