Whale deterrent devices found in Faroese waters

Several whale deterrent devices have been discovered in Hvannasund, Faroe Islands, according to a report by Faroese national broadcaster Kringvarp Føroya. Authorities suspect the devices may have been placed by activists, as they are not used by local fishermen.

The devices, which emit sound waves to repel whales, differ from the seal deterrents commonly used in Faroese aquaculture to protect fish farms from seal predation. Bjarni Mikkelsen, a leading marine biologist at the Faroese Marine Research Institute (Havstovun), confirmed that whale deterrents are not employed in the islands.

“This is something else entirely,” Mikkelsen stated, adding that the devices were likely intended to disrupt whale behaviour. He suggested similar devices could be present in other Faroese fjords.

Under Faroese pilot whale hunting regulations, it is illegal to use equipment that alters whale behaviour. The Faroese Whaling Authority (grindaformaðurinn) has reported the incident, as the devices may violate these rules. Mikkelsen dismissed concerns that the deterrents could harm the whales, clarifying they are designed solely to drive them away.