Written question asked by Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat) on Friday, 10 April 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 14 April 2026. It was answered by Stephen Doughty (Labour) on Monday, 20 April 2026 on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Faroe Islands: Dolphins

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has conducted diplomatic discussions with (a) the Government of the Faroe Islands, (b) the Government of Denmark and (c) other international partners on the impact of Faroese dolphin hunting on North Atlantic cetacean populations.

Answer: The UK strongly opposes the hunting of cetaceans other than limited activities by indigenous people for defined subsistence needs. UK ministers and officials continue to advocate for the end of cetacean hunts in the Faroe Islands at every appropriate opportunity, most recently during formal UK-Faroes bilateral fisheries negotiations in November 2025, and I raised this with the Faroese Prime Minister Aksel V. Johannesen when I hosted him in London last year. We also use our role as Chair of the International Whaling Commission's Conservation Committee to raise the profile of small cetaceans, including encouraging more work to improve their protection and address welfare concerns.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 125559
Session: 2024-26
Subjects: Hunting Dolphins North Atlantic Ocean Diplomatic relations Faroe Islands
Link: View this Written question on www.parliament.uk