New status for fin whales: on the road to recovery?

Fin whales may not be the largest of the whales, but they are certainly one of the fastest! This advantage long allowed them to escape the whaler’s harpoon, at least until the 20^th century when whaling gear became mechanized. No longer able to outrace their pursuers, the global fin whale population drastically dropped until an international moratorium was established. According to Fisheries and Oceans Canada, between 1903 and 1945, as many as 13,000 fin whales were killed in Canada’s Atlantic waters.

Fortunately, the decline of fin whales is not irreversible. Conservationists are keeping their eyes on the global fin whale population: for three generations, the number of individuals has been on the rise! The latest estimates from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) even suggest that the population may be recovering.

This increase in the number of fin whales on the planet is changing the status of the species. According to the IUCN Red List, fin whales are now considered “vulnerable”, a status of less concern than before. In Canada, the status of the species in the Atlantic is still considered of concern by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) and the Species at Risk Act.

“Overall, even if the conditions for fin whales have improved and the animals are becoming more numerous, this is not the case for all populations. Some populations are still at risk,” points out Christian Ramp. “Especially whales in coastal environments such as the ones venturing into the waters of the St. Lawrence, as they have to deal with an increased human presence compared to those that remain offshore.”