Examining Grindadráp: A vegan’s opinion on the Faroese whaling tradition

The one thing I get the most questions about that doesn’t have anything to do with travel is my opinion on Grindadráp, the slaughtering of pilot whales in the Faroe Islands. Anyone who reads this blog will know that the Faroe Islands is my favourite country. I’ve travelled to the country twelve times and have set foot on almost all islands. As a public voice with a love for the Faroe Islands, I feel that it’s my obligation to set things straight when I see and hear hateful false rumours spreading about a place I love so much. So I decided to write this article about the issue; it’s an important matter that does need to be addressed.

Who am I?

• Vegetarian since September 1st 2015 and vegan since September 1st 2018.
• Animal lover since I was born.
• I do not support circuses, zoos, bullfighting, trophy hunting, elephant riding or any other ways that humans use animals for entertainment.
• I do not support the fur industry, leather industry, silk industry, meat industry, dairy industry, egg industry, honey industry etc. – basically any industry that harms animals (and/or people).
• I love the Faroe Islands more than any other place on earth – because of the hospitality of the people, the incredible nature, the tranquility and the rich culture. And because of something I can’t fully explain; a feeling of constant curiosity for what’s around the next corner, a constant feeling of awe.
• I’ve been to the Faroe Islands twelve times (as of June 2022) and I have made many friends, both some who have participated in Grindadráp, and some that haven’t, either because they don’t want to kill animals or because they haven’t been trained to do so.

First, let’s get some things straight

I’ve read and heard way too many comments on Grindadráp from people who obviously have fallen prey to propaganda. Whatever animal activist organizations such as Sea Shepherd or The Animal Fund tell you about Grindadráp is basically brainwashing. They argument against Grindadráp in a most subjective and uneducated way. So before I begin, let me tell you a few facts about the Faroese tradition of Grindadráp:

• Whaling is regulated by national law, and hunting and killing methods have been improved over the years to ensure as little harm to the whales as possible.
• The entire pod is slaughtered at the same time – and yes, it might be gruesome that babies and pregnant whales are killed as well, but they would most likely not survive on their own as pilot whales are incredible sociable and need to be part of a pod to survive and thrive.
• There is no fixed hunting season and therefore it happens quite a few times every year, especially during the summer. Whenever a pod is spotted from the shore, boats are sent out to drive the whales to the beach, where they will all get slaughtered.
• The whales are killed with a specially designed knife/lance to cut the spine, killing the whale within seconds.
• To be able to participate in Grindadráp, one must obtain a hunting license first. This is to make sure that it’s done correctly.
• There are an estimated 778,000 pilot whales in the eastern North Atlantic ocean, but “only” an average of 800 pilot whales are slaughtered in the Faroe Islands annually. Unlike what you might read elsewhere, pilot whales are not an endangered species. Also, the entire animal is used, so there is zero waste. For these reasons, the practice is deemed a sustainable source of meat.
• The meat and blubber from the whales is not exported, but instead shared out equally amongst those who participated in the Grindadráp. Those who were not able to participate can sign up for their share too. Therefore, there is no financial gain; it’s purely a source of food.
• Many Faroese people watch Grindadráp because it’s an old tradition that has taken part since the first people settled on the islands about 1000 years ago. It has nothing to do with them being cold-blooded towards the whales; it’s deeply embedded in their culture.
• Denmark or the EU can do nothing about Grindadráp, as the Faroe Islands is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark with their own government and laws. Also, unlike Denmark, the Faroe Islands is not part of the EU.

All information was found here: https://www.whaling.fo/

Now let’s get to it… The arguments I’ve heard against Grindadráp – myths or facts:

Myth #1: Whaling is done for entertainment

Thankfully, you are wrong. The pilot whales are hunted for their meat and blubber and only that.

It’s correct that many people watch Grindadráp, and some of those people might watch it because they think it’s fun to experience (much like some people think it’s entertaining to watch bulls get tormented and killed during bullfighting), but I can assure you that most people watch it because it’s part of a long tradition in their country, not because they enjoy watching animals suffer. It’s very common to watch when a Grindadráp takes place on your island, but no one is forced to watch it if they don’t want to.

Myth #2: Children are forced to watch it – it’s child abuse!

It’s correct that children are allowed to watch Grindadráp – although they are NOT allowed to join in – only adults with a valid hunting license can access the beaches where the whales are driven to.

Parents often take their children to watch Grindadráp in order to educate them on how and where the meat they eat comes from. In my opinion, it’s only right that children learn about where their food comes from – if they don’t know, how will they be able to take a stand later in life?

Also, remember that some children grow up on farms where animals are slaughtered, and some children are brought on hunts by their parents. Many children also visit zoos where they are exposed to a much worse form of animal cruelty, which is purely for our entertainment. Do you also consider this child abuse?

Myth #3: Pilot whales are an endangered species

According to the American Cetacean Society, pilot whales are not considered an endangered species. As stated above, there are an estimated 778,000 pilot whales in the ocean around the Faroe Islands, but as little as 800 whales are slaughtered annually. For this reason, and because there is zero waste, the practice of whaling is deemed a sustainable source of meat.

Fact #1: Babies and pregnant whales are slaughtered

Correct, but as I wrote above, the entire pod is slaughtered as the whales left to live by themselves would most likely not survive and instead die a slow and lonely death. Pilot whales are incredibly sociable and rely on each other to survive and thrive.

Myth #4: Whales are cute, so they should be treated different than farm animals

I understand that you think whales are cute and deserve to live. I do too. But I also think that pigs, cows, chickens and all other farm animals should live happy and healthy lives. The same goes for deer, rabbits and all other wild animals hunted for their meat and fur.

It’s not a valid argument that the specific animal is cute and therefore deserves to live – if you’re against Grindadráp, you should be against all killings of animals (veganism is your friend).

Fact #2: The sea turns a bloody red – it’s gruesome!

Yes, and once again, I agree. But have you ever visited a slaughterhouse? The blood is flowing there too, but it doesn’t look as bad because it’s not in water. Remember that the videos and pictures you see of Grindadráp and the red seas are shot to appeal to people’s emotions.

Fact #3: There’s mercury in pilot whale meat

Yes, you are correct, and mercury is proven to have detrimental health effects for humans. But the average life expectancy in the Faroe Islands is 81,63 years, so it seems like they are doing just fine. I’m no expert on this subject, but I’m guessing it’s because they don’t eat whale meat all the time. Pregnant women are advised not to eat it though, but for everyone else it seems to be fine if not eaten in large quantities.

The real animal cruelty: The pollution of the oceans

The high levels of mercury and PCBs in whale meat stem from ocean pollution, which we are ALL contributing to every day with our unnecessary use of plastics that are not biodegradable. These plastics, most of which originate from land-based sources such as sewers, fill up our oceans and get ingested by fish, dolphins, whales, seabirds etc.

Oil from e.g. ferries and airplanes which many of us enjoy travelling in, as well as chemical discharges from factories all over the world, largely contribute to our polluted oceans.

It’s difficult for me to comprehend how anyone can shame the Faroese people for animal cruelty when living a lifestyle that contributes to the presence of mercury and PCBs in the whales in the first place?

If you really want to help the animals of the ocean, you need to make your life more sustainable. Some easy changes include using less single-use plastic, travelling by land instead of air and ocean and not consuming meat and dairy products. Sure, you are just one person out of 7,8 billion people, but small streams make large rivers. 

Grindadráp vs. the meat industry

If whale meat was not eaten on the Faroe Islands, meat from other animals would have to be imported to the country instead – meat from the industries that slaughter animals that live their entire lives in captivity, never experiencing freedom like the pilot whales have.

Instead, the Faroese people mostly consume meat from locally available wildlife such as whales and birds, as well as sheep and cows that are kept in big open spaces in the nature. Thus, meat consumption is a lot more sustainable on the Faroe Islands than most other countries in the world.

Don’t let Grindadráp affect your view on the Faroe Islands or the locals

Whether or not you agree with whaling, there’s no reason to let it affect your view on the beautiful and friendly country of the Faroe Islands. Very few out of the 50,000 people living on the islands actually participate in Grindadráp and some are even against it (yes, there are vegetarians and vegans there too!). Yet, because of how the Faroese are being demonised by the media and abused by activist organizations, many Faroese people support Grindadráp because of anger, not because they want to eat whale meat. Even though most people from the Faroe Islands (and anywhere else in the world) eat meat and thus have life principles that differ from mine, it does not make them bad people.

Boycotting the Faroe Islands because of Grindadráp makes no sense. You might as well boycot Denmak too as our meat industry is notorious for treating animals with no dignity whatsoever. It’s horrible, but it has nothing to do with the general public. Ever thought about going to Japan? They hunt dolphins there in much larger numbers than the whale hunting on the Faroe Islands. How about Spain; fancy watching bullfighting or financially supporting the country that has not yet outlawed it?

I’m mentioning all of this to put whaling on the Faroe Islands into perspective. Don’t boycot a country because you don’t agree with what SOME of the locals do. It’s not fair on the Faroe Islands, and it’s not fair on you either – you’ll be missing out on the most beautiful country in the world!

So would I ever watch Grindadráp or join in?

Absolutely not. Despite my love for the Faroese culture, killing ANY animal (or insect) is against my belief and principles, so I don’t want to watch it happen. I’ve been on the Faroe Islands plenty of times when a Grindadráp has happened, and although people have called me and urged me to go watch it, I’ve refused each time as I simply don’t want to see animals get killed.

Understand that I don’t support Grindadráp but I do support the people who do it, because I understand them. They think differently than me (and so do most other people), they eat meat and they won’t stop just because someone screams at them or boycots their country. And if meat is something a person will not go without, surely meat from wild local whales is the best kind of meat they can eat – for the animals and for the planet!

Do you have any questions or comments?

Before you comment on this post, I want you to consider something. Do you eat meat? Drink/eat dairy? Consume eggs? Wear fur, leather or silk? If yes, you are contributing to an industry that keeps animals in captivity their whole lives until they are slaughtered.

All sober comments or questions are of course welcome and I will answer them all. But please be kind and try to have an understanding of other people’s opinions and life principles.

Summarizing this post, my opinion on the Faroese tradition of Grindadráp is that I’m not for it because of my love for animals, but I’m also not directly against it because it’s a deeply embedded part of their culture and a sustainable source of food. If the Faroese people didn’t eat whale meat, they would instead contribute to a far worse industry.

To me, the issue is not whether or not it’s sad for the animals, because it is – of course it is. This is about choosing your battles. Focusing your battle on sustainable whale hunting in a small community like the Faroe Islands, when billions and billions of captive animals are killed annually for their meat and fur, seems completely absurd to me. Fight for those that are truly in need, those that are not viewed as “cute”, those that are not free – all those animals that most of you who are reading this eat every day. Choose the “uncool” battle and fight for the pigs, fight for the chickens or fight for the cows. And run for the mountains if you’re ever on the Faroe Islands during a Grindadráp.

All opinions in this article are my own. All information was given to me by Faroese friends or found on the websites referenced in the article.

There are no pictures of Grindadráp here as I don’t wish to see them myself and I also don’t want to cause discomfort for others. All the photos are of the Faroe Islands and taken by me.

Updated 09/06/2022