Stop the Grind!: UK E-Petition Launched to Demand Clear Labels on Faroe Island Fish

PRESS RELEASE

Beautiful Fish...but is it Faroe Island's Fish?

For Immediate Release

Blue Seas Protection calls for transparency in UK seafood supply chains to expose links to the Faroe Islands’ Dolphin + Pilot Whale Grind Hunts.

Today, 12th March 2025, UK Marine conservationists and ocean advocates have launched a UK Parliamentary e-petition demanding clear labeling on all 'Faroe Islands Fish and Seafood' products sold in the UK.

The E-petition, titled "Stop The Grind Now! UK Consumers Demand Clear 'Faroe Island Fish' Product Labels" calls for urgent action to ensure UK shoppers are informed about the origins of their seafood and the links to the controversial Grindadráp dolphin and pilot whale hunts.

The Faroe Islands, a self-governing territory of Denmark, continue the Grindadráp, a regular hunt where hundreds of pilot whales and dolphins are slaughtered in drive fisheries. Despite widespread condemnation, UK supermarkets and fish suppliers continue to import seafood from the Faroe Islands without clear labeling, leaving consumers unaware of their indirect support for this inhumane dolphin slaughter.

Why This Matters

Consumer Choice: UK shoppers deserve the right to make informed ethical purchasing decisions.

Hidden Supply Chains: Fish from the Faroe Islands enters UK markets unlabelled, making it difficult for consumers to avoid supporting industries linked to dolphin Grind Hunts.

Global Outcry: International pressure has mounted against the Grindadráp, but the UK-Faroe Fish Trade Deal agreements continue to facilitate the import of Faroese fish without transparency.

“British consumers have the power to make ethical choices, but only if they have the right information,” said Captain Garry Oates, spokesperson for Blue Seas Protection. “By demanding clear labeling, we can empower shoppers to avoid fish sourced from the Faroe Islands linked to marine mammal dolphin slaughter.”

What the Petition Demands

The petition calls on the UK Government to introduce mandatory country-of-origin labelling for all fish imported from the Faroe Islands, ensuring transparency in UK seafood markets. Similar to existing regulations on meat and dairy products, clear labeling would allow consumers to make informed choices based on their ethical values.

Without realising it, UK Consumers are unknowingly purchasing Faroes Fish even if it is labelled with the MSC Blue Tick which normally reassures consumers that it has been sustainably sourced and caught.

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) blue fish tick label in the UK signifies that wild-caught seafood comes from a certified sustainable fishery, which is assessed against the MSC's standards to ensure healthy fish populations and minimal environmental impact. 

Clearly Grind Hunts cause significant environmental, health and welfare impacts on Dolphin populations.

How to Support the Petition

Supporters are urged to sign the petition and share it widely. If the petition reaches 10,000 signatures, the government will respond. At 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for parliamentary debate.

Sign the petition here: [Insert Link]

Join the movement to ‘Stop the Grind’ and demand transparency in UK seafood supply chains.

Let’s give UK consumers the power to make ethical choices, to Help Stop the Grind!

For media inquiries, interviews, or further information, please contact:

stopthegrindnow@gmail.com