Mammals

A highly migratory species which moves to high-latitude feeding grounds during spring and summer and returns to southerly temperate waters for mating and calving during autumn and winter. Northern and southern populations never meet because the seasonal patterns are reversed in the two hemispheres, meaning that they migrate to the equator at different times of year. The species is often seen swimming alone or in pairs, although the usual group size is 6-7 individuals. These pods may be part of a wider group of up to 300 individuals spread over a wider area. Fin whales feed by filtering planktonic crustaceans (krill), fish and squid through their baleen plates. During feeding, large volumes of water and food can be taken into the mouth because the pleated grooves in the throat expand. As the mouth closes water is expelled through the baleen plates, which trap the food on the inside near the tongue to be swallowed. Unlike other rorquals, fin whales lunge-feed instead of skimming, by accelerating quickly and turning or rolling into a large school of prey. They often turn on their sides with the right side facing downward. Researchers speculate that in this position the lighter coloration of the head makes it less visible to the intended prey. There is very little, if any, feeding during the autumn and winter, when the whales are in lower lattitudes. Sexual maturity is reached at around 6-11 years, and females give birth to a single offspring every 2-3 years thereafter. The gestation period is 11-11.5 months, meaning that both mating and calving occurs when the whales are in warm waters. Calves are about 6.5 m long and weigh 1,800 kg at birth. They nurse for about 6-7 months, during which time they almost double in length. They then return with the group to the polar feeding grounds. This species is estimated to live around 80 years in the wild.

Fin whales occur both in the open ocean and in shallow coastal waters.

The number of mature individuals in the world prior to exploitation is estimated at 470,000, of which 400,000 were in the Southern Hemisphere. Recent surveys indicate that there are now fewer than 15,000 fin whales in the Southern Hemisphere and around 40,000 in the Northern Hemisphere.

Classified as Endangered (EN A1abd) on the 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Rorquals have long been hunted for their meat, blubber, oil and baleen. Fin whales were not initially targeted by early whalers because of their speed. However, the species declined dramatically following the onset of modern commercial whaling and the subsequent decline of the blue whale. Almost 750,000 fin whales were reportedly taken from the Southern Hemisphere alone between 1904 and 1979. Whaling of the species reached its peak between 1952 and 1962 when in excess of 30,000 animals were taken annually. Although commercial whaling has now been banned, scientists fear that it may be too late for the species to recover from such a massive population decline. Around ten fin whales are killed each year by whalers on the west coast of Greenland, under an agreement with the International Whaling Commission (IWC) to allow subsistence whaling in the area. There are some fears that this may be having a detrimental effect on the population. Today, the major threat to this species is accidental mortality resulting from collisions with boats; since fin whales often occur near the coast, they are at risk from colliding with boats in shipping lanes. The species may also be at risk from disturbance from seismic operations, entanglement in fishing gear, pollution (including noise pollution, increasing amounts of plastic debris at sea, oil spills and dumping of industrial wastes), and a decrease in krill as a result of climate change.

Numbers are beginning to recover, following a moratorium on the hunting of fin whales in 1985. Stocks in the North Atlantic off Iceland and Newfoundland are listed on Appendix II of CITES, which means that the species can be hunted only in small numbers for cultural or research purposes. All other stocks are on Appendix I. The species is also listed on Appendix I of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS or the Bonn Convention). The IWC is the co-ordinating body for whale research and conservation. It governs the conduct of whaling throughout the world, designates specific areas as whale sanctuaries and supports whale research. There are currently whale sanctuaries in the Antarctic, Indian and Southern Oceans, where all commercial whaling is prohibited. As part of its Southern Ocean Whale and Ecosystem Research Programme (SOWER) the IWC is conducting a series of international cruises in the Antarctic. One of the aims of the 2005/2006 cruise is to undertake a feasibility study for fin whale research in waters north of 60°S, involving a sighting survey, acoustic sampling and biopsy sampling of the skin for genetic analyses. The fin whale is covered by a number of international agreements, and several countries are undertaking fin whale research and conservation work. This includes identifying areas of critical habitat, investigating species abundance and distribution, and mitigating the threats to the species. The UK Biodiversity Action Plan aims to maintain the current range and abundance of the fin whale in UK waters by reducing the discharge of pollutants and reducing disturbance from physical and acoustic sources.

Further research is needed into the population and distribution of this endangered species. Areas of critical habitat should be identified and protected, and monitoring programmes should continue. The immediate threats must be addressed, with the recovery strategy focussing on managing human activities (including fisheries, vessel traffic, whale watching, and activities that cause cetacean habitat degradation and loss) to mitigate negative impacts on the species. International co-operation is essential to the successful recovery of the fin whale.

Ocean Alliance - Whale Conservation Institute (WCI)
This institute was established in order to protect whales and their ocean environment through scientific research and education.

Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS)
The WDCS is the global voice for the protection of whales, dolphins and their environment.

UK Biodiversity Action Plan: Grouped Plan for Baleen Whales
This UK collaborative effort aims to monitor, assess and develop a strategic plan to ensure the long term survival of the fin whale.

ARKive

Cetacean Specialist Group. 1996. Balaenoptera physalus. In: IUCN 2006. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 31 July 2006.

Clapham, P. J., Young, S. B. and Brownell, R. L. Jr. 1999. Baleen whales: conservation issues and the status of the most endangered populations. Mammal Review 29(1): 35-60.

International Whaling Commission (IWC)

Nowak, R. M. 1999. Walker’s Mammals of the World. Sixth edition. The Johns Hopkins University Press. Baltimore and London.

Reeves, R. R., Smith, B. D., Crespo, E. A. and di Sciara, G. N. (Compilers). 2003. Dolphins, Whales and Porpoises: 2002-2010 Conservation Action Plan for the World's Cetaceans. IUCN/SSC Cetacean Specialist Group. IUCN: Gland, Switzerland.

Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS)

Distribution map based on data provided by the IUCN Global Mammal Assessment.