Where is the line between trying to preserve your culture and heritage and being on the same page with modern moral values? This question is difficult to answer because there is no right or wrong answer. An example of this issue is the situation in the Faroe Islands. People in the Faroe Islands have hunted pilot whales for centuries; it is part of their culture and their identity. It is also one of the food sources they have. However, the world is worried about the customs of the islands. A large number of whales are killed by locals every year. The act is so cruel that the sea water turns red from the blood shed. New questions then arise: is hunting still necessary, why can't the Danish government provide a better lifestyle for its population, why such cruelty still exists today. According to research, whaling should be banned because it is dangerous to human health, it is an outdated tradition and a cruel act. One of the main reasons why whaling should be banned in the Faroe Islands is due to the effects that whale meat has on the health of humans who consume it regularly. Many research projects have shown that excessive seafood consumption can decrease cognitive abilities due to the presence of methylmercury, a toxic pollutant, in marine foods. The population of the Faroe Islands is heavily dependent on marine resources. “Today, whale meat represents approximately 30% of the total meat produced on the islands (Faroe Islands Government, 2004) and is a cultural component of the Faroe Islands way of life. » As the consumption of whale meat is very popular on the islands, it has attracted the attention of many scientists who are aware of the problems this custom can cause. “Based...... middle of paper...... year after year. O'Barry, Helene Hesselager. “HEART of Darkness.” Earth Island Journal (2013): 18-23. ProQuest. Internet. April 1, 2014. The author of this article traveled to the Faroe Islands and studied why pilot whale hunting is still practiced. The Faroe Islands Ministry of Health has stated that whale meat is dangerous for humans, especially for women who want to have babies; it is contaminated with dangerously high levels of mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), as well as DDE, a breakdown product of the insecticide DDT. She discovered that people hunt whales for the taste, that it's free food, and that hunting is representative of their culture. The Faroese also enjoy whaling as it is a tradition that has existed on the islands for centuries. Many island residents don't worry about the side effects of pilot whale meat..