Protecting Whales in the Faroe Islands

I am volunteering with Sea Shepherd this summer, working to prevent the barbaric slaughter of pilot whales during the "grind" season. 

Operation GrindStop 2014, has one goal and that is to see no cetaceans killed in the Faroe Islands. Should a slaughter (Grind) occur, Sea Shepherd will do everything that we can to non-violently interfere with the slaughter. We will also thoroughly document and broadcast the barbaric events. The world will be watching and we will show the truth of the slaughter.

Since July 20th, 2013, 1,499 dolphins and whales have been killed in Faroese Grind hunts. That's just last year! Operation GrindStop 2014 will take place from early June through October 1st. I will be there for the month of June. 

The Grind is historic in the Faroe Islands. It is considered a tradition, with records going back hundreds of years (although the use of motorboats and technology, of course, is more recent). The current reality, however, is that not a single person in the Faroes would go hungry, and certainly no one would starve, if no more whales were killed. In fact, the whale meat is highly toxic (from mercury and chemicals deposited into the oceans by humans) and it is common in the Faroes for children and women of childbearing age to avoid consumption of the meat. From Wikipedia: "As of the end of November 2008 the chief medical officers of the Faroe Islands have recommended that pilot whales no longer be considered fit for human consumption because of the level of mercury in the whales." Many whales are killed, and then left to rot. Also, further evidence is surfacing that strongly links consumption of the whale meat to Parkinson's disease. 

The bottom line is that the Grind is totally unnecessary, unhealthy, barbaric, and belongs in the history museums where the tradition can be explained, its importance long-ago shared, without any senseless butchering today. The Faroes have a culture rich in literature, architecture, dress, music, art, and dance. There is no need for the Faroese to cling to the slaughter.

The Faroe Islands are expensive - and as a volunteer I am going unpaid. My travel, food, daily expenses, are all coming out of my own pocket. To minimize costs I'll be crashing on couches when I can, camping and using the free public buses to get around the town as often as possible - but your support will help me get there and I simply can't do this alone!

Thank you for simply reading this, for caring enough to check in on what is going on in the Faroes as well as what is going on in my life. Your support means the world to me. xo

I should note that donations to my efforts are not tax deductible.