A Legal Line Is Officially Drawn on Dolphin Hunts

Dolphin hunts have been suspended in part of the Faroe Islands after authorities filed the first-ever animal abuse charges linked to a pilot whale hunt, signalling a major shift in enforcement and animal welfare standards.

“This case shows that cruelty is no longer being ignored and that accountability is possible,” said Valentina Crast, campaign director for the Faroe Islands at Sea Shepherd.

The charges stem from a 2024 hunt in which 90 pilot whales were left trapped for 27 hours, violating welfare rules designed to limit suffering, after more than 100 others were killed. In response, the Faroese Whalers’ Association halted all hunts in the northeast region while the case proceeds. The investigation could set a precedent for stricter oversight of grindadráp, a practice that has seen over 1,000 dolphins killed in 10 hunts in 2025, and marks growing local and international momentum toward stronger marine mammal protection.