The book has three aims. First, to trace the development of the grindadráp, the Faroese institution for managing whaling and distributing the products of the hunt, from settlement of the islands in the 10th century through to the present time. Second, to determine the institution's performance in terms of its ability to maintain itself and sustainably manage the resource on which it is based, the long-finned pilot whale. Third, using this assessment, respond to the claims of the animal rights and environmental organisations to determine if these clmaims have any basis.