Cruise ship passengers arrived in the Faroe Islands while a traditional hunt resulted in the killing of dozens of whales, as confirmed by the cruise line on Thursday.
Ambassador Cruise Line, on behalf of the passengers of the ship Ambition, issued an apology. The passengers were present when 78 pilot whales, which belong to the dolphin family and are among the largest members, were killed in the port area on Sunday.
Whale and dolphin hunting is a regulated and common practice in the Faroe Islands, which are a self-governing region of Denmark. The local government considers the pilot whale hunt, known as “grind,” to be an integral part of Faroese food culture.
A spokesperson for the cruise line stated, “We strongly oppose this outdated practice and have been collaborating with our partner, ORCA, a marine conservation charity focused on the study and protection of whales, dolphins, and porpoises in UK and European waters, to promote change since 2021.”
The killing of over 1,400 dolphins in the region caused public outrage in 2021. The chairman of the Faroese Whalers Association acknowledged to the BBC that the number of dolphins killed was excessive but claimed it was accidental. He said, “It was a big mistake. When the pod was found, they estimated it to be only 200 dolphins.”
According to government data, the Faroese catch an average of 600 pilot whales annually. From 2000 to 2020, no more than 773 white-sided dolphins were caught in a single year.
The government website of the Faroe Islands states, “Whaling in the Faroe Islands is conducted in accordance with international law and globally recognized principles of sustainable development. It is sustainable and fully regulated, with a strong emphasis on animal welfare, and a requirement today for participants to be licensed to use the mandatory methods and equipment. Whale drives only take place in bays that are officially approved for the purpose, and only schools of whales found in close proximity to land, usually within one nautical mile, are driven ashore.”
Whatever is caught during the hunt is distributed to island residents for free.
Ambassador Cruise Line has advised “guests and crew not to buy or consume any whale or dolphin meat and stand against any profiteering from commercial whaling and dolphin hunts.”
Conservationists from ORCA were present on the ship as it arrived in the Faroe Islands. The organization reported the use of small boats and jet skis to herd the pilot whales into shallow waters where they were killed on the shore.
ORCA CEO Sally Hamilton expressed her disbelief, saying, “It defies belief that the Faroese authorities allowed this activity to take place in clear sight of a cruise ship packed with passengers sitting in dock. On one hand, they promote their pristine environment and spectacular wildlife while simultaneously wielding gaff hooks and lances to kill whales and dolphins. It’s almost as if they are flaunting the hunt and taunting the tourists.”
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, long-finned pilot whales have a lifespan of 35-60 years. They can grow to be 19-25 feet long and weigh 2,900 to 5,000 pounds. This species is threatened by whaling, entanglement in fishing gear, disease, and oceanic contamination.
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