This is justified by historical tradition.
The practice of hunting dolphins in the Faroe Islands became the subject of public scrutiny after more than 1,400 mammals were killed in what was believed to be a record catch.
On Sunday, a flock of white-sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus acutus) were herded into the largest fjord in the North Atlantic. The boats drove them into shallow waters at Skalabotnur Beach in Esturoy, where they were killed with knives. The carcasses were dragged ashore and distributed to local residents for consumption, writes the BBC. Eyewitness footage shows dolphins splashing in blood-reddened water as hundreds of people watch from the beach.
Whaling in the Faroe Islands has existed since at least the 10th century. In 1972, the Marine Mammals Protection Act was passed, which prohibited the production and import of these animals, except in special cases. Such special cases include hunting for the needs of indigenous peoples such as the Eskimos or Aleuts. A number of countries have opposed a moratorium on whale fishing, but almost all countries have abandoned dolphin hunting.
The annual dolphin hunt in the Faroes is called Grindadrap. Usually on land, hunters who have received a special license immediately kill animals with special knives, but this time, according to eyewitnesses, there were not enough hunters due to the huge number of dolphins caught – animals died in convulsions on the beach for several hours. Many hunters did not have a license, which is required in the Faroe Islands, as hunting requires special training in how to quickly kill whales and dolphins. In addition, photographs show that many dolphins were shot down by motor boats, in fact, cut by propellers, resulting in a slow and painful death. According to local residents, these violations were reported to the Faroe Islands police. The massacre reportedly killed 1,428 Atlantic white-sided dolphins.
