Whaling in the Faroes

• Main Author: Kerins, Seán Patrick
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Griffith University 2008
• Subjects: Whaling; Faroes; Faroes history; North Atlantic
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.25904/1912/1810; https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au/handle/10072/366808

Over the past two decades whaling has come under enormous criticism from a large number of animal rights and environmental organisations who campaigned to stop commercial whaling. Chapter 1 outlines the rise of this protest movement and describes what occurred after the International Whaling Commission moratorium was introduced and how animal rights and environmental organisations organised in an attempt to stop Faroese whaling through an international boycott of Faroese fish and fish products. These organisations claimed: the hunt was unsustainable; there was no economic need; whaling was sport with the killing little more than fun; and that a subsistence and modern economy could not co-exist in one society. Given this conflict this thesis examines the development, practice and performance of the grindadráp (the Faroese common property resource institution for the utilisation of the North Atlantic Long-Finned Pilot Whale - Globicephala melas) by answering the following research questions. · What is the nature of Faroese history, society, economy and environmental management of whales through the concepts of political economy and common property resources? · Is there a common property resource institution for utilising whales in the Faroes? And, if so, how does it operate? And · Does this common property resource institution reflect essential design principles, identified in anthropological and common property literature as being essential criteria for sustaining both the resource and the common property resource institution over time? Because the research questions are about human social interaction with the environment in the Faroes, Chapter 2 outlines the research location, the resource and the research methods. The research methods enable the complexities of, and the relationships between, history, culture and environment on local institutions to be understood. Such research methods have allowed the investigation to retain the holistic and meaningful characteristics of real life events. Chapter 3 outlines the theoretical framework of political economy and its related world systems theory and common property resources. These will assist with understanding Faroese whaling within a wider political, economic and social framework. This chapteralso introduces a number of design principles identified in anthropological and common property literature. Design principles inform us of institutional performance and evidence of them are considered essential criteria for sustaining both the common property resource institution and the resource on which it is based. Chapter 4 provides an historical overview of the political economy of the Faroes where the nature of Faroese history, society, economy and environmental management of whales is examined and evidence of the common property resource institution outlined. Chapter 5 provides the ‘microview’ of the grindadráp to determine how the institution operates in practice at the beginning of the 21st century and presents evidence of the design principles in operation within the performance of the grindadráp. Chapter 6 outlines action that the Faroese took to further strengthen the grindadráp by establishing a resource users’ association to represent and advocate on behalf of Faroese whalers and how the Faroese Government established a regional marine management organisation in which they could nest the local level institution of the grindadráp. The data outlined in this chapter provide evidence of a complex social phenomenon in the form of a robust, stable, efficient and resilient common property resource institution that has maintained itself and the resource on which it is based for over 1000 years. Chapter 7 summarises this evidence and the conclusions show that whaling is deeply rooted in and reflective of Faroese society and the historic struggle of the people to survive and maintain their own independence and decision-making over local resources. Application of the design principles to the institution of the grindadráp demonstrates that it is an example of community-based management at its best. One where the users themselves are provided with the opportunity and responsibility to manage their own resources; define their needs, goals, and aspirations; and to make decisions affecting their well-being. The Faroese exhibit a high level of capability, responsibility and accountability in the management of their common property resource. The grindadráp is evolutionary, participatory and locale-specific and considers the technical, ecological, socioeconomic and environmental issues impinging upon the geographically isolated community.