228 more dolphins slaughtered in the Danish Faroe Islands as the campaign confronts the European Commission

📁 Archive Document — Historical Record

This article was first published when our charity's original name/branding as 'Sea Shepherd UK' prior to our name change on 18th May 2023 following the removal of Captain Paul Watson from Sea Shepherd entities worldwide (with the exception of the UK, France and Brazil).

Captain Paul Watson remains a member of our Board, and our charity continues to uphold its founding principles of non-violent direct action marine conservation.

This article and its contents are the property of the 'Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK' and forms part of our 21 year history.

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On September 25th, legal representatives sent a formal response to the European Commission condemning its sloppy and grossly inadequate reply to the detailed and painstakingly researched legal arguments for infringement proceedings against Denmark. On the same day, 219 more Atlantic white-sided dolphins and nine more pilot whales were killed in the Faroe Islands.

Compiled over a two-year period, the evidence presented to the Commission in May 2017 shows that Denmark has broken EU laws by facilitating and participating in the slaughter of dolphins in the Faroe Islands. The Commission's deficient reply dismissing the case indicates it failed to properly consider the dossier and its legal arguments. In accordance with the European Union's long-standing administrative rules and guiding principles, we demand that the Commission give specific responses — with legal justifications — for each of the main points addressed in the request for infringement proceedings. We have requested that the Commission provide its detailed justifications within 15 working days.

Meanwhile, on the same day, 219 more Atlantic white-sided dolphins were killed at Skálabotnur on the Faroese island of Eysturoy, and nine more pilot whales were killed at Hvalba. That brings the 2017 statistics up to 1,605 small cetaceans slaughtered in 23 grindadráp hunts so far this year.

The Paul Watson Foundation UK's mission in this campaign is to stop the slaughter of dolphins — including Atlantic white-sided dolphins, bottlenose dolphins and pilot whales — in the Faroe Islands grindadráp hunts. Although part of the Kingdom of Denmark, the Faroe Islands claim to be independent of European Union rules and regulations that prohibit the killing of cetaceans. However, the Danish navy and Danish police have directly interfered with efforts to stop the slaughter, both participating in and facilitating the grindadráp. Operation Bloody Fjords is a campaign to hold the Danish government accountable for their actions, which result directly in the deaths of hundreds of dolphins every year.

Dolphins slaughtered this summer in Funningsfjørður, Faroe Islands.