Fin Whale Recovery and Welfare | Animal Welfare Hub

Fin whales are the second largest animals on Earth and are recovering from near-extinction from commercial whaling, but still face threats from ship strikes and noise.

Key Facts

Fin whales were heavily hunted in the 20th century, with over 700,000 killed between 1904 and 1975
The global population has partially recovered since the 1986 IWC commercial whaling moratorium
Iceland resumed commercial fin whale hunting and exported meat to Japan until recently
Fin whales are the fastest of the great whales, capable of speeds over 37 km/h
Ship strikes are a significant threat given fin whales' range in busy shipping lanes
Fin whales produce the lowest frequency sounds of any animal, which can be disrupted by ocean noise

Welfare Considerations

Fin whale welfare is affected by ship strikes causing traumatic injury and death, and by ocean noise pollution disrupting the low-frequency communication they rely on across vast distances. Despite recovery from near-extinction, fin whales remain in a fragile state and vulnerable to human pressures. Iceland's resumption of commercial whaling killed hundreds of fin whales, raising acute welfare concerns about harpoon killing methods. Supporting the IWC moratorium and opposing resumption of commercial whaling for any great whale species protects both the welfare of individual whales and the recovery of the species.

What You Can Do

Oppose commercial whaling at the IWC through advocacy and supporting anti-whaling organisations
Support ship speed reduction programmes in critical fin whale habitat
Choose seafood certified as cetacean-safe to reduce ocean traffic and bycatch pressure
Donate to cetacean research organisations monitoring fin whale recovery
Advocate for ocean noise reduction including shipping lane routing away from whale habitats