We the undersigned are writing, to add our voice to the international condemnation of the continued hunting and killing of pilot whales and other small cetaceans in the Faroe Islands. This hunting continues in spite of the international ban on whaling agreed by the International Whaling Commission. It is our understanding that in the region of 1,000 whales are killed annually during the %u201Cgrinds%u201D.
The hunts are often defended on the grounds of their %u201Chistorical%u201D or %u201Ctraditional%u201D value, and the brutal methodology used by comparison with other uses of wildlife and methods of producing and slaughtering livestock. It is our contention that the Faroese economy is not longer in any way dependent on this activity, and that the people enjoy a high standard of living, so the hunting of pilot whales, originally carried out as a means of providing sustenance food and oil for heating and lighting, is no longer a necessity. In addition, it is our contention that comparison of one method of slaughter against another is not an appropriate method by which to justify cruel and barbaric actions.
The Faroese authorities also claim that the hunt has %u201Csuccessfully adapted to modern standards of resource management and animal welfare%u201D (http://www.whaling.fo/index.htm), and that the killing method, involving the severing of the spinal chord and arteries supplying the brain with a knife, results in a rapid loss of consciousness. However, Justines Olsen of your own State Veterinary Service admits that %u201Cthe efficiency of the kill is largely dependent on the overall organisation of the drive... as well as the efficiency and skill of those onshore%u201D, and that there is %u201Cno formal training%u201D for whale killing in the Faroe Islands. Also, whalers often have to %u201Cwade out in the water... to hook the whales with a heavy iron gaff attached to a rope by which they are hauled up to be killed...%u201D, and the whales swim in a soup of each other's blood while awaiting slaughter (http://www.highnorth.no/Library/Hunts/Faroe_Islands/to-ki-a.htm). These grim facts do not lend credibility to any claim of concern for animal welfare.
The hunts cause both physical and psychological suffering to the whales, who will be aware of the distress of their family and social group members during the herding and
slaughter process;
The hunts are no longer necessary to provide food to the islanders - they are primarily carried out as sport. Causing such clear animal suffering in the name of entertainment is simply unacceptable in a modern, civilized society such as the Faroe Islands;
The gruesome spectacle of the hunts is extremely disturbing to the vast majority of the international community - many people coming to the Faroes do so to enjoy the unspoilt natural environment and animal life. Many would-be tourists may be discouraged from visiting the Faroes, not wishing to risk witnessing a whale hunt. The hunts tarnish the Faroes' image as a place to enjoy peace and nature.
Pilot whales are highly social animals that form large pods often consisting of more than 100 individuals. Although they are considered %u201Ccommon%u201D, they are listed as %u201Cdata deficient%u201D by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and their population trend is %u201Cunknown%u201D (http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/9250). They come under Cites Appendix II
(http://www.cites.org/eng/app/appendices.shtml). They are threatened by over-fishing of their food source, commercial whaling, entanglement in fishing gear, and pollution; even the Faroese government advise limiting the consumption of whale meat because of the levels of PCBs and mercury. New (2008) research undertaken by the Environmental Medicine section of Syddansk University shows that environmental toxins in pilot whale meat make it unsafe to eat and demonstrates clear links between consumption of pilot whale meat and incidence of Parkinson's disease; whaling is damaging to both whales and people;
The continued hunting of pilot whales in the Faroe Islands represents a barbaric, inhumane and unnecessary practice, which should be stopped. We urge you to bow to the increasing international pressure, ban these %u201Cgrinds%u201D, and in doing so provide a clear message to the rest of the world that the Faroese authorities value their natural resources and have respect for the other creatures which share this world with us.
We thank you for taking the time to read this letter.
Sincerely,
