Achieving Marine Biodiversity Conservation in the Nordic Region

Biocentrism as a Solution to Protecting Cultural Identity and Illegalising Marine Hunts

People

Researcher

• Bethan Smith

Background

Marine hunting is still one of the main threats to marine biodiversity internationally despite the growing body of scientific evidence demonstrating that marine biodiversity is essential for healthy marine ecosystems, which support all life on Earth. Research also shows that marine animals experience immense physical and mental suffering during the hunting and killing process. Humane hunts are unviable because of the marine environments and anatomy of the marine species. This research focuses on the Nordic region, in particular the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Norway, and Iceland, where marine mammals and apex predators are lawfully killed. In these nations, the hunts also have a fundamental significance to cultural identity. The hunts are exacerbating the already prevalent marine biodiversity and climate change issues in the region. The modern hunts are rooted in anthropocentric ethics, which morally justifies using marine animals and ecosystems for human benefit. Consequently, anthropocentrism is reflected in the existing legal and cultural relationship with the hunted species. Internationally, arguments about the hunts are polarised, either supporting the hunts largely on legal and cultural grounds, or disagreeing with the hunts based on animal and environmental issues. This research argues that the marine hunts need to stop. However, it adopts an alternative approach to unify legal, cultural, marine animal and  environmental considerations through biocentric ethics. It also expands the current scope of biocentrism to recognise and integrate cultural identity into the theory, to protect culture without the marine hunts.

Aims/Objectives

The primary aim of this research is to examine the extent to which biocentrism could provide an ethical foundation for the protection of cultural identity without the marine hunts in the Nordic region. To achieve this research aim, three research objectives will be addressed. Firstly, to examine what biocentrism is and the extent to which it can protect the marine species hunted in the Nordic region. Secondly, to examine the extent to which domestic laws in the Nordic region regulate the hunting of marine mammals and apex predators. Thirdly, to examine the ways in which cultural identity can be recognised in and integrated into a biocentric solution when making the marine hunts illegal in the Nordic region.

Methods

This research involves qualitative legal research through a desk-based study. Using secondary research methods of data collection and analysis. The sources of data used in this research include a range of primary and secondary sources, including statutes, case law, white papers, executive orders, books, ethnographic studies, official documents, reports, and academic articles. In this research, the sources of literature will mainly be from the disciplines of law, philosophy, and anthropology. A holistic research approach is adopted to support the inclusion of literature from different disciplines within the research. The holistic research approach informs the research design, data collection, analysis, and interpretation. The approach recognises that the law is interconnected with other areas, such as culture and ethics. This allows the research to be approached in a way that focuses on protecting marine animals, environments, and human culture through biocentric ethics. The research uses a non-probability sampling method. The sample criteria are nations in the Nordic region where marine mammal and apex predator hunts are legal and culturally significant. The nations meeting the criteria are the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Norway, and Iceland. Another aspect of the research method is its inclusion of comparative research to understand the marine hunts in each of the nations. As well as comparing the hunts to other parts of the world.

Project image: C Smith, 'Life in the Sea' (2025)