Faroe Islands to set quota of 500 dolphins to be killed in controversial whale hunt

The government of the Faroe Islands is proposing a catch limit of 500 dolphins for the territory's annual whale hunt this year. The move comes after last year’s pursuit saw more than 1,400 animals slaughtered in one day during the Faroese centuries-old traditional hunt, the Faroese government announced in news release this week. Grindadrap, also known as the Grind, is an annual hunt that takes place on the remote North Atlantic islands halfway between Iceland and Scotland. This week, the government announced in the release that the capping measure was “in response to the unusually large catch” on Sept. 14, 2021. Warning: Graphic photo below The government is proposing an annual catch limit of 500 white-sided dolphins for both 2022 and 2023. The proposal is expected to be implemented as an executive order by July 25, according to the release. Last year's slaughter led to international condemnation. During the hunt, sea mammals are lured into shallow water where they are killed for their meat and blubber. The hunt is not commercial and approved by the local government, but environmental activists claim it is cruel.