Farmers lash out at proposed seal hunting law

The Farmers’ Association strongly opposes the new bill which seeks to organise and/or ban seal hunting in the Faroes. 

Up to now there has been no need for a law to regulate seal hunting. 

Fish farmers have occasionally killed seals that have disrupted the farming activities, but other than that there has been no seal hunting in the Faroes for decades.

Inspired by US law

The seal hunting proposal came about because the United States place conditions on nations exporting fish and fishery products.

One of these conditions is that nations exporting fish to the US must ban the deliberate killing of seals in connection with fish farming.

But the Farmers’ Association argues that it is bizarre that American requirements should limit Faroese people’s right to harness a resource which has been available to them for centuries.

“Suppression of a natural right”

The Farmers’ Association writes in its consultation statement:

“The proposal disenfranchises Faroese people, who may now need to apply for permission from public institutions whenever they want to eat a bit of seal meat.”

“We must never compromise on our rights to utilise the live resources, in this case seals, available in Faroese waters. Our country owns these inalienable rights. This is our natural right, and no-one can take it away from us.”

Parliament will read the seal hunting proposal as part of today’s sitting.

Translated by prosa.fo