The sea turned red after hundreds of whales were slaughtered in a centuries-old tradition in the Faroe Islands that slaughter whales.

The Pilot Whales were herded towards the shore of Torshavn, which is the largest city and the capital city of the Faroe Islands, this happens every year during the summer migration of the Whales.

Hunters then slaughter the whales for meat during this time.

In a post that was shared by the Blue Planet Society on Facebook, they said that around 150 pilot whales and 20 white-sided dolphins were slaughtered during the annual hunt.

Around 500 cetaceans have also been killed for “food” in the Faroe Islands since the year started.

The hunt takes hours to complete, fishermen would first trap the whales and hooks are beaten into their blow holes. Then the whales are dragged onto the sand where hunters slice their spinal cords.

Even after the tradition has been criticized by many, the locals have defended their right to continue this tradition.

A website that explains the traditions said, “The Faroese have eaten pilot whale meat and blubber since they first settled the islands over a century ago. Today, as in times past, the whale drive is a community activity open to all, while also well-organized on a community level and regulated by national laws.”

It adds, “Records of all pilot whale hunts have been kept since 1584 and the practice is deemed sustainable, as there an estimated 778,000 whale in the eastern North Atlantic region. Approximately 100,000 swims close to the Faroe Islands, and the Faroese hunt an average of 800 pilot whales annually. The meat and blubber from the hunt are distributed equally among those who have participated.”

Authorities have also warned the locals who eat the flesh of the Whales that the meat they consume may have persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and is health hazardous due to the high levels of mercury that is being released into the seas.

The annual hunting festival takes place in the Torshavn bay in the Faroe Islands in Denmark.

Every year, around 800 whales are killed to provide meat and blubber to the locals who live there. One whale can provide hundreds of kilos of meat to the communities who live there.