A new cross-party coalition of UK MPs has called on ministers to take decisive action to help bring an end to dolphin hunting in the Faroe Islands, renewing political pressure on a practice long criticised by animal welfare and conservation groups.

The motion, tabled by Green Party MP Adrian Ramsay, condemns the grindadráp – commonly known as the grind – a practice in which pods of dolphins are driven into shallow bays by boats and killed by hand. The MPs describe the hunts as inflicting “extreme suffering” on “highly sentient marine mammals” and are urging the UK Government to reassess its relationship with the Faroe Islands in response.

Located approximately 200 miles north of the Scottish coast, the Faroe Islands have faced increasing international scrutiny over the hunts, which continue to draw widespread condemnation despite their defenders framing them as a cultural tradition.

The motion forms part of a first-of-its-kind letter-writing campaign led by the Stop The Grind initiative and is supported by nine MPs from three different political parties. Since the campaign launched on Tuesday morning, public engagement has been swift, with hundreds of people writing to their MPs – equating to roughly one letter every three minutes.

Public opposition to the hunts is not new. In 2022, more than 100,000 people signed a UK Government petition calling for an end to the grind. The renewed parliamentary action reflects continued pressure from UK citizens urging their representatives to take a united, cross-party stance.

The motion raises significant concerns around animal welfare and regulation, noting that more than 1,000 cetaceans were killed in Faroese hunts in 2025 alone, including juveniles and pregnant females. It also challenges claims that the hunts reflect widespread public support within the Faroe Islands, citing research indicating that more than 70% of Faroese people rarely or never participate, while nearly all women oppose the practice.

Alongside its condemnation of the hunts, the motion calls for the UK Government to continue raising the issue with Faroese authorities and to press for a ban. It also urges a review of the UK–Faroe Islands free trade agreement should swift action not be forthcoming, and calls for mandatory country-of-origin labelling on Faroese fish products to allow consumers to make informed choices.

Advocacy groups have welcomed the motion, including the Stop The Grind initiative, which argues the practice is incompatible with modern conservation ethics and animal welfare standards.

Valentina Crast, Campaign Director for the Faroe Islands at Sea Shepherd, said: “The Faroese hunts are neither ethical nor sustainable. They devastate entire pods and continue despite longstanding health warnings of consumption.

“The scale of the killings, including juveniles and pregnant animals, raises serious animal welfare and conservation concerns that cannot be ignored.

“We welcome the strength of support of cross-party MPs who recognise that diplomacy, trade and consumer transparency are legitimate tools for encouraging change. We urge other MPs to add their names and ensure these senseless killings are brought to an end.”

The parliamentary motion follows a nationwide public letter-writing campaign aimed at mobilising MPs across the UK, as pressure mounts for political action to address one of the North Atlantic’s most controversial marine hunting practices.

Listen to the Ocean News Podcast in interview with the Sea Shepherd’s Valentina Crast here.

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