Hacked to death by faroe islanders...
Is stopping it an Animal Liberationist's Issue?
Around 200 miles from the UK, every year hundreds and sometimes thousands of pilot whales and other dolphins (cetaceans) are brutally driven into shallow bays by motorised boats, gaffed with a metal 51b hook, on which is attached a long haul rope to drag them on to the beach. The animals are finally finished off, with a cut from a knife behind the blow hole, which is supposed to severe the spinal cord. Some of the whales are eaten and some of the meat is left to rot. In 1985, Faroese radio advise was not to throw whale meat into the dustbin, as it was too heavy.
Unless the animals manage to escape (which is rare) none are spared the “Grind” (Faroese name for the hunt). Pregnant, lactating, young and old, whole pods possibly migrating to the British Isles are mercilessly killed. Drives have been known to take up to 10 hours.
In 1996, whilst the annual International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting was in progress in Aberdeen, the Faroese killed 400 animals and a few days later over 300 more, showing the scant regard they have for the IWC or world opinion. Total kill that we know about for that year was 1524 Pilot whales.
Cetacea Defence has been doing its utmost for years to draw attention to the “Islanders from hell” carnage including:
•Rooftop demos at the Faroe Sea food factory in Grimsby in 1992 and 1993

•Occupation of the consulate in Aberdeen in 1996
•Disruption to a Faroese jazz band playing in Wigan in 1996
•Between 500-600 information stalls mainly in the north west, since the launch of the boycott in 1993 street theatres and checkouts blocked with “unwanted” Faroese fish.
•Targeting the UK sellers of frozen Faroese fish Marks & Spencers (the biggest), Tesco, Sainsbury, Somerfield chain (David Gregg, Solo and Food Giant) - with tens of thousands of leaflets and postcards highlighting call for boycott of their stores for complicity in supporting the Faroe slaughter
•With the help of CD, “Finns for Whales” organisation have just launched a campaign in Finland. Finland is a major importer of Faroe Isles fish. CD has also produced new full colour postcards, highlighting the issue.

In 1997 CD commissioned an investigation on the Islands as no film had come out since the EIA one in 1992. It was important to know what was going on, especially as the islanders have experimented with a new gaff. Their way of trying to offset international condemnation is to introduce a rounded gaff, one which would go into the blowhole of the animal and suffocate it. One wonders if there is a word in the Faroese language for humane.

Film secretly shot in 1997 shows a kill of 5 animals, zodiacs ramming into animals and the illegal (even by their laws) use of a spear. At this drive, some pilots did escape. Still film was also shot of the aftermath of a kill of 159 pilot whales, which is not for the squeamish. It shows unborn foetuses, heads of whales etc. Some footage has been used by a German television company in a documentary exposing the slaughter. (click here for photographs)
In the past, certain organisations have tried and, I believe, failed in direct intervention. Think of it, 48 thousand Islanders angrily defending their bloodsport, against a zodiac or two. Unless you are prepared to be anchored in situ for long periods (drives are opportunistic) with a mother ship and zodiacs, direct action of this sort is impractical and financially costly (anyone got a ship to donate?).
One certain way to bring these Islanders to their knees is an effective boycott of their fish. Their economy is over 90% dependent on fish exports. It is single issue, it is also pragmatic. Cetacea Defence does not advocate that anyone should buy fish, NOT sourced from the Faroese. CD does explain how industrialised fishing is killing all life.
To summarise, since the 1993 boycott campaign, Asda, Safeway, Iceland and the Co-op haven't sold fish sourced from the Faroe Isles. The Faroese lost a reported £ 12 million. Marks & Spencer, the major seller of frozen fish from the Faroe Isles, and other stores have consistently refused to implement a boycott. But, as a result of the campaign, they now label fish sourced from the Faroe Isles, not good enough, but they THINK they can escape criticism. However, with a 1986 moratorium in place, why are the Faroese allowed to kill whales, you will ask!
The pilot whale is a member of the genera of small cetaceans as are the other cetaceans the Faroese kill. The IWC has only recently recognised its competence in dealing with small cetaceans. For years Denmark (the Faroe Isles are an old colony) and Japan had blocked any such moves. The 1979 Berne Convention of European Wildlife, prohibits the use of all indiscriminate means of capture and killing. The Bonn convention of 1988 is an agreement to conserve small cetaceans in the North and Baltic seas. Denmark although a signatory to both, introduced clauses to exempt the Faroe Isles.
The title of this article is to make you think about how you can help stop the “bloody Faroese” that's if the pollutants (Mercury, PCBs etc.) in the whale meat consumed doesn't stop them first. Any ideas? Having been in the movement for 19 years, I have always felt there was/is a consensus of opinion that whaling and dolphinariums were/are Friends of the Earth or Greenpeace type issues. Well are they or can we all do more to help? If the latter is the case, there is enough info in this article to give you ideas, or contact me.
Thanks to the vegan investigator who had to stomach the kills in the Faroe Isles, Russell S and some of the good people in the Manchester area whose donations made the investigation financially happen.

I will conclude with a quote some years ago by Arni Olaffsen, who stated the hunt continued for “tradition, sport and a way of obtaining cheap food”. Only 200 miles from our shores it's time to relegate their sport to the history books.
Alan Cooper - Founder, Cetacea Defence UK (Article originally published in “Arkangel “ mag, Dec 1998)

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Faroe Isles Slaughter Page