Atlantic white-sided dolphins again killed in the Faroe Islands
The infamous killing bay in Skálafjörður in the Faroe Islands was again the site of another dolphin hunt this week. More than 50 Atlantic white-sided dolphins were rounded up and chased into shallow water by a line of boats. The local hunters then waded into the water to kill them.
Cruel dolphin killing continues
In September 2021, the same small community, near the village of Skala, became infamous worldwide when in a single hunt they killed an unprecedented 1,423 Atlantic white-sided dolphins. This brought condemnation from all around the world, including a strongly worded statement of concern from the European Union as a whole as well as EU Member States of the International Whaling Commission (with the exception of Denmark) urging decision makers in the Faroe Islands to end these hunts. Many people in the Faroe Islands also expressed their concern regarding the numbers of dolphins killed and the way the hunt was conducted.
The government of the Faroe Islands responded some 10 months later indicating that an annual catch limit of 500 white-sided dolphins was to be permitted. This was much higher than the usual take. It also increased the concern that the regional government is continuing to justify an expansion of the hunts on species that haven’t been the prime target of such hunts in the past.
While this time, around 50 animals have been killed, this is still testimony to the regional government not being willing or interested in decreasing the hunts.
Over the past few years, OceanCare has continuously provided science-based information to decision makers, addressing concerns over the impacts of such hunts on the targeted species, as well as the cruelty involved. We have been reaching out also directly to decision makers in the Faroe Islands and Denmark repeatedly asking for a dialogue, which both have not shown any interest in.
No reply was ever received from the islands and this latest hunt shows that this community continues to see this small species of dolphin which is only found in the northern North Atlantic as an acceptable target.
Working with other like-minded organisations, Oceancare issued a statement of concern and called for the islanders to desist from killing dolphins.
Further information
Addressing welfare related concerns:
- Report: welfare concerns in Faroes whale and dolphin hunts
- Study on cruelty of the Faroes whale hunt | OceanCare
Debunking claims by the dolphin hunters:
Jane Goodall, renown scientists, calls for the dolphin hunts to end:
Sources: