HOW WE'RE WORKING
TO STOP THE GRIND
Stop the Grind works internationally to build the political and public pressure needed to bring an end to the Grind. We engage policymakers, support research, build international partnerships and identify opportunities for governments and institutions to drive change.
Ending the Grind requires more than documenting what happens in the Faroe Islands. Our work brings together policymakers, researchers, NGOs, legal experts and other specialists to challenge the arguments used to defend the hunts and advance practical pathways for action.
Together, we identify and pursue opportunities for change through trade, public health, diplomacy, international agreements and parliamentary action.
Turning Evidence Into Action.
Political Advocacy
Stop the Grind engages directly with policymakers in the UK and EU to build political support for action against the Grind. Through meetings, parliamentary briefings and policy discussions, we present evidence on animal welfare, public health and sustainability, and highlight the opportunities governments and institutions have to exert meaningful pressure. Our advocacy has included engagement with MPs and MEPs in London and Brussels, support for parliamentary initiatives, and collaboration with political allies seeking greater scrutiny of the hunts. By keeping the Grind on the political agenda, we work to turn concern into concrete action.
Trade & Policy
We examine how trade and economic policy can be used to encourage change in the Faroe Islands. The Faroese economy is heavily dependent on seafood exports, with the UK and EU among its most important trading partners. This creates opportunities to make animal welfare and marine conservation part of the wider trade relationship. Our work explores measures including stronger sustainability and animal-welfare conditions in trade agreements, greater transparency around the origin of Faroese seafood, and the potential use of market access and other trade mechanisms to encourage reform. We work to turn these opportunities into credible policy options.
Research & Legal Work
We support research and legal analysis that strengthens the case for ending the Grind. We work with researchers, legal experts and other specialists to examine issues including animal welfare, sustainability, public health and the international frameworks governing the protection of whales and dolphins. This work challenges unsupported claims used to defend the hunts and identifies gaps in existing protections and opportunities for reform. By translating scientific and legal findings into accessible briefings, reports and policy recommendations, we provide decision-makers and campaign partners with practical tools they can use to advocate for change.
Dialogue in the Faroes
Stop the Grind recognizes that lasting change must ultimately include voices from within the Faroe Islands. We seek opportunities for constructive dialogue with Faroese citizens, researchers, professionals and others who are willing to question the future of the Grind and consider alternatives. Our aim is to create space for discussion around animal welfare, public health, sustainability and changing attitudes towards the hunts, while supporting those who may not feel represented by the dominant public narrative. By engaging respectfully with different perspectives, we hope to help build the conditions for lasting change from within Faroese society.
Accountability
Stop the Grind works to ensure that the Grind remains subject to international scrutiny and that claims made in its defence are tested against the evidence. We highlight gaps in official reporting, question whether existing regulations provide meaningful protection for pilot whales and other dolphins, and draw attention to developments that weaken animal welfare and conservation safeguards. This includes examining how hunts are authorized and recorded, documenting animals that may be excluded from official kill figures, and challenging claims around sustainability, humaneness and necessity. By bringing these issues to the attention of policymakers, institutions and the public, we work to strengthen transparency and ensure the Faroese authorities are held accountable.
Coalition Building
We bring together organizations and individuals who share a commitment to ending the Grind, creating opportunities to combine expertise, networks and influence across borders. Our coalition connects conservation organizations, campaigners, researchers, legal experts, policymakers and other specialists who can contribute knowledge, resources or strategic support to the campaign. By coordinating efforts and sharing information, we can strengthen individual initiatives and amplify the impact of our collective work. We also continue to build relationships with new partners whose expertise or influence can help advance specific areas of the campaign and broaden international support for meaningful change in the Faroe Islands.
No single intervention will bring an end to the Grind. Lasting change will require sustained pressure from multiple directions — political, economic, legal and public — alongside meaningful dialogue within the Faroe Islands.
By bringing these approaches together, Stop the Grind aims to challenge the conditions that allow the hunts to continue and build the international momentum needed to bring them to an end.