5. Whale Jail
Whaling is a part of life for some who live in the Faroe Islands. The practice is regulated by authorities. You may, during your research of the Faroe Islands, have seen a report that tourists who do not report that they have seen what are known as “pilot whales” could be fined or even imprisoned. Thegovernment of the Faroe Islands released a statement on the matter, one that was updated in July 2015:
The important issue is the ancient Faroese concept at finna eina grind (to find pilot whales) and its definition. To find pilot whales, i.e. to locate them, is the first step of a drive. The obligation to report a sighting is therefore a necessary and crucial part of the activity. The intent of the provision is to prevent people taking the law into their own hands or to interfere illegally in a whale drive, for example by driving whales either towards land or to sea without permission from the local authorities.
It is therefore highly unlikely that an ordinary tourist, who has sighted pilot whales will be punished for not reporting this. It is also worth noting, that the whales are typically not located by people on shore, but at sea. In relation to custodial sentences it should be clarified that while the maximum penalty for breaching the Grindalógin is 2 years, the typical penalty will be a fine. The penalty of 2 years in prison may apply where the breach is intentional or due to gross negligence and has led to injury to people or whales, or damage to the environment or material property – or where there was immediate danger of such injury or damage. The penalty of 2 years in prison may also apply where the person in question has previously been convicted of breaching the Grindalógin.
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