May 11, 2017 05:19 AM EDT By Khaleb Skye A. Cruz, UniversityHerald Reporter

Otherwise known as The Grind, locals in the Faroe Islands, Denmark "harvest" and kill long-finned pilot whales whenever they swim near the slaughter cove. Usually, this bloody tradition takes place during the summer.

It began as early as 1298, as mentioned in the old Faroese Law called "Sheep Letter". Sadly, until this day, 800 whales are brutally dying every year because of this practice. Sea Shepherd, a non-profit organization led by Captain Paul Watson, has been fighting commercial and traditional whaling to save the species.

Now, Sea Shepherd wants the European Union (EU) to intervene and hold Denmark responsible for the inappropriate hunt of pilot whales. For one thing, victims of The Grind were killed using axes, machetes, and anything sharp and hard that could stun the whales. Geert Vons, the director of Sea Shepherd Netherlands, said that it is "forbidden" to kill whales and dolphins in Europe.

Vons added that by supporting the Faroe Islands, Denmark appears to be facilitating The Grind. Thus, Denmark fails to uphold its EU obligations. Allegedly, Danish officials from the police and navy are actively participating in the hunt. For the record, though, the Faroe Islands chose to remain outside the EU when Denmark joined in 1973.

According to Phys.org, Sea Shepherd has called on Brussels to launch the "infringement proceedings" against member state Denmark. Under it, Brussels writes to national governments to demand legal explanations on an issue and can refer the involved parties to the European Court of justice. The top punishment an EU court can issue is a financial penalty for the state.

Lastly, per The Maritime Executive, the traditional hunt takes place annually between June and November. The practice is obviously defended by the local community who treat it as part of their lives already. The whale meat and the blubber are consumed as homegrown delicacies.

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