Whaling in the Faroe Islands

From top to bottom, left to right: illustration of a grindadráp (pilot whale hunt) near Vestmanna (17 June 1854); whale killing in Vágur (28 June 2004); pilot whale carcasses on a beach in Hvalba (2005); whale butchering in Klaksvík (July 2010); tvøst (meat) and spik (blubber) from a pilot whale, with fish and potatoes.

Whaling in the Faroe Islands, or grindadráp (from the Faroese terms grindhvalur, meaning pilot whale, and dráp, meaning killing), is a type of drive hunting that involves herding various species of whales and dolphins, but primarily pilot whales, into shallow bays to be beached, killed, and butchered. Each year, an average of around 700 long-finned pilot whales are caught, alongside varying numbers of Atlantic white-sided dolphins.

The practice dates back to the 9th century, and many Faroe Islanders consider eating whales to be an important part of their history. Since 1948, the hunt has been regulated by the Faroese authorities, required its participants to be trained, involved modern boats and communications, and been supervised by police.

The hunt has been under increasing scrutiny since the 1980s. Domestically, concerns have arisen over the potential toxicity of whale meat, particularly for young children and pregnant women. Internationally, animal rights groups, who consider the hunts cruel and unnecessary, have targeted them with protests, boycotts, and occasional direct interventions.

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