Friday, July 3, 2015

Tourists Forced To Help Massacre Whales

Come to the beautiful Faroe Islands...and help massacre whales!
Tourists in the Faroes face stiff penalties, if they do not report migrating whales and dolphins to local authorities!
According to new laws, tourists must report all sightings of whales and dolphins, so the cetaceans can be slaughtered in the infamous drive hunt, the grindadráp. Visitors who do not comply can face penalties of up to 3,000 euros, and imprisonment of two years.
Sea Shepherd's Operation Sleppid Grindini members were informed of the penalties by local authorities...who were quick to point out that the law applied to all visiting tourists, not just those with SS.
Despite these laws and revised penalties, the Danish Navy has confirmed that it will not assist with reporting or other involvement in the grindadráp...unlike in the past!
I can only imagine how those opposed to, or indeed unaware of, the killing tradition will react to this. Oh, what a marketing opportunity! 'Visit the Faroes! Bask in its natural beauty! Go home with blood on your hands and unnecessary deaths on your conscience!' Yes, even tourists on whale-watching tours can be drawn into the killings.
While these laws are obviously intended to limit SS's effectiveness in protecting whales, the severe implications will most certainly drive tourist money away from the region. It's like visiting Zimbabwe and being forced into rhino poaching!
The annual whale massacres have garnered negative reactions from some in the tourist industry. Since 2013, two German cruise line companies, AIDA and Hapag-Lloyd, have publically expressed their concerns about the grindadráp to the Faroes govt, calling for an end to the slaughter.
In their enthusiasm to enforce these new penalties and restrain SS, the Faroese have overlooked the potential threat to tourism!

...ironically, on the very day this news broke (29 June 2015), a second massacre occurred, this time at Hvannasund.
Sea Shepherd estimates that 20-30 pilot whales were killed in the slaughter. The SS ship Brigitte Bardot was patrolling approx.25 miles to the south, and was not able to reach the area in time.

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