The hunting of cetaceans in the Faroe Islands has brought into sharp focus what many of us already understand – the health of our oceans matters to us all.

The hunts, known as the grindadráp, see dolphins driven into shallow bays and killed in a practice that has drawn widespread concern for animal welfare.

Images of these brutally killed animals sit uneasily with our ambitions for a more sustainable, humane, and internationally engaged future. And these ambitions do not have borders.

Although some choose to defend the grind as tradition, all the evidence shows most Faroese people do not participate in the hunts, and that women overwhelmingly oppose them. This indicates that the practice may not reflect broad popular consent, and that a transparent and open conversation is needed on whether this practice should continue.

The Faroe Islands, part of the Kingdom of Denmark, lie just 200 miles north of the Scottish coast. The marine species of the North Atlantic do not respect borders, and neither should our commitment to their protection given these are cetaceans that live in the waters that we share.

For the Liberal Democrats, environmental stewardship and high standards of animal welfare are fundamental principles. We believe in evidence-led policy, international cooperation, and sustainable practices that respect life and ecology wherever they occur.

Throughout my time in Parliament, I have consistently championed environmental protection, biodiversity, and sustainable practices.

As Vice-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Environment, I work with colleagues cross-party to promote responsible stewardship of our natural world. Protecting whales and dolphins from practices that raise serious welfare and conservation concerns is integral to this.

The UK already has strong legal protections for marine mammals; it is unlawful to harm or disturb whales, dolphins, and other cetaceans in UK waters. But our responsibility cannot end at our coastline, and MPs are beginning to recognise this.

I was pleased to join some 50 other Parliamentary cross-party colleagues in signing an Early Day Motion, condemning the grindadráp and calling on the Government to review the terms of any free trade agreement with the Faroe Islands if action to end the hunts is not forthcoming.

We know this is an issue that matters to our constituents who are calling on us to act.

The cross-party motion is also advocating for mandatory country-of-origin labelling for Faroese fish, so consumers can make informed choices about the products they buy.

This is particularly important given that hundreds of millions of pounds’ worth of Faroese fish reach UK supermarkets each year. Shoppers deserve to know whether their purchases support practices that they find unacceptable.

Clear labelling and ethical sourcing standards should be the norm, not the exception. Our party advocates stronger supply chain transparency and trade agreements that explicitly uphold high environmental and animal welfare standards.

Momentum is also building beyond the UK.

In recent weeks, Members of the European Parliament urged the European Commission to take steps in response to the grindadráp, including measures to regulate trade, enforce country-of-origin labelling, and use fisheries agreements to encourage compliance.

This cross-party, international pressure demonstrates that political action and ethical standards can work together to protect marine life.

There are signs that progress is possible. A first-of-its-kind prosecution in the Faroe Islands towards the end of last year, for serious breaches of animal welfare law, led to temporary suspensions of some hunts.

Accountability can drive change, even where long-standing traditions are involved.

Globally, marine mammals are essential to the health and balance of our oceans. When harmful practices persist in other countries, the ecological consequences are felt far beyond their waters.

It is imperative that UK ministers demonstrate leadership on the international stage and stand firmly against the grindadráp. Recycled words of criticism are simply not enough.

* Wera Hobhouse is the Liberal Democrat MP for Bath and Vice-Chair of the Environment APPG.