
Fin Whale
Balaenoptera physalus

Protected Status
Quick Facts

Fin Whale. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
About the Species

Fin Whale. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
The fin whale is the second-largest whale species on earth, second only to the blue whale. It is found throughout the world’s oceans. It gets its name from an easy-to-spot fin on its back, near its tail.
Like all large whales, fin whales were hunted by commercial whalers, which severely lowered their populations. Whalers did not target them at first, because they were fast swimmers and lived in open ocean habitats. But, as whaling methods modernized with steam-powered ships and explosive harpoons, and whalers decimated other easy-to-catch species, whaling turned to fin whales. This industry killed a huge number during the mid-1900s—nearly 725,000 in the Southern Hemisphere alone.
Whaling is no longer a threat for fin whales (commercial whaling ended in the 1970s and 1980s, though some subsistence hunting continues today in Greenland under sustainable quotas allowed by the International Whaling Commission). Currently, the major threat to this species comes from vessel strikes. The fin whale is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act and depleted under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
NOAA Fisheries and its partners are dedicated to conserving and rebuilding fin whale populations. We use innovative techniques to study, protect, and rescue these endangered whales. We engage our partners as we develop regulations and management plans that foster healthy fisheries and reduce the risk of entanglements, create whale-safe shipping practices, and reduce ocean noise.
Population Status
For management purposes, we divide fin whales in U.S. into four stocks:
- California/Oregon/Washington
- Hawaii
- Alaska (Northeast Pacific)
- Western North Atlantic
We determine the number of fin whales through counting stocks, however, not all stocks have accurate information. Reliable, recent estimates are available for much of the North Atlantic Ocean, but not for most of the North Pacific or the Southern Oceans. We do not know how populations in those ocean basins have changed, relative to their pre-whaling size. The most recent population assessments can be found in stock assessment reports.
Protected Status
ESA Endangered
- Throughout Its Range
MMPA Protected
- Throughout Its Range
MMPA Depleted
- Throughout Its Range
CITES Appendix I
- Throughout Its Range
SPAW Annex II
- Throughout the Wider Caribbean Region
Appearance
Fin whales have sleek, streamlined bodies with V-shaped heads. They have a tall, hooked dorsal fin, about two-thirds of the way back on the body, that rises at a shallow angle from the back. Fin whales have distinctive coloration—black or dark brownish-gray on the back and sides and white on the underside. Head coloring is asymmetrical—dark on the left side of the lower jaw, white on the right-side lower jaw, and the reverse on the tongue. Many fin whales have several light-gray, V-shaped “chevrons” behind their heads; on many of them, the underside of the tail flukes is white with a gray border. These markings are unique and can be used to identify Individual fin whales.
Behavior and Diet
Fin whales are fast swimmers and are often found in social groups of two to seven individuals. In the North Atlantic, they are often seen feeding in large groups that include humpback whales, minke whales, and Atlantic white-sided dolphins.
During the summer, fin whales feed on krill, small schooling fish (including herring, capelin, and sand lance), and squid by lunging into schools of prey with their mouth open, using their 50 to 100 accordion-like throat pleats to gulp large amounts of food and water. They then filter the food particles from the water, using the 260 to 480 baleen plates (long, flat plates made of fingernail-like material called keratin) that they have in place of teeth on each side of the mouth. Fin whales fast in the winter while they migrate to warmer waters.
Like other baleen whales, fin whales also skim the water, taking in huge volumes of water. When they close their mouths, the water is pushed out through the baleen and the prey is caught on the inside of the baleen. A fin whale eats up to 2 tons of food daily.
Where They Live
Fin whales are typically found in deep, offshore waters of all major oceans, primarily in temperate to polar latitudes. They are less common in the tropics. They occur year-round in a wide range of locations, but the density of individuals in any one area changes seasonally. Most migrate from the Arctic and Antarctic feeding areas in the summer to tropical breeding and calving areas in the winter. The location of winter breeding grounds is not known. Fin whales travel in the open seas, away from the coast, so they are difficult to track. There are three named subspecies of fin whale:
- B. physalus physalus in the North Atlantic and North Pacific
- B. physalus quoyi in the Southern Ocean
- B. physalus patachonica in the mid-latitude Southern Ocean
In fact, most experts consider the B. physalus physalus in the North Atlantic and the North Pacific to be separate subspecies. The two populations rarely (if ever) mix, and there are geographical stocks within these ocean basins. Fin whales are migratory, moving seasonally into and out of feeding areas near the poles, but the overall migration pattern is complex and likely varies by region, and specific routes have been documented for some populations. Acoustic recordings from passive-listening hydrophone arrays indicate a southward “flow pattern” in the fall from the Labrador-Newfoundland region, past Bermuda, and into the West Indies. There may be resident groups of fin whales in some areas, such as the Gulf of California, the East China Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea.

Lifespan & Reproduction
Little is known about the social and mating systems of fin whales. As with other baleen whales, long-term bonds between individuals are rare.
Fin whales have long lives—they reach physical maturity at about 25 years, and their maximum lifespan is about 90 years. Males become sexually mature at 6 to 10 years of age and females at 7 to 12 years of age. After 11 to 12 months of gestation, a pregnant female gives birth to a single calf in tropical and subtropical areas during midwinter. Newborn calves are about 18 feet long, and weigh 4,000 to 6,000 pounds.
Fin whales sometimes mate with blue whales and hybrids have been documented.
Threats
Vessel Strikes
Vessel strikes can injure or kill fin whales. Fin whales are probably the most vulnerable species to ship strikes after North Atlantic Right Whales. The projected increase in ship traffic arising from the opening of trans-polar shipping routes (as arctic sea ice continues to decline) will increase the risk of vessel strike and also increase ambient noise and pollution.
Entanglement in Fishing Gear
Fin whales can become entangled in fishing gear, either swimming off with the gear attached or becoming anchored. They can become entangled in many different gear types, including traps, pots, or gillnets. Once entangled, whales may drag and swim with attached gear for long distances, ultimately resulting in fatigue, compromised feeding ability, or severe injury, which may lead to reduced reproductive success or death.
Ocean Noise
Underwater noise negatively affects whale populations, interrupting their normal behavior and driving them away from areas important to their survival. Increasing evidence suggests that exposure to intense underwater sound in some settings may cause some whales to strand and ultimately die.
Climate Change
The impacts of climate change on baleen whales may result from altered oceanographic conditions, as well as the timing and distribution of sea ice coverage. Changes in prey distribution could lead to changes in foraging behavior, nutritional stress, and diminished reproduction for fin whales. Additionally, changing water temperature and currents could impact the timing of environmental cues important for navigation and foraging.
Scientific Classification
Kingdom | Animalia | Phylum | Chordata | Class | Mammalia | Order | Cetacea | Family | Balaenopteridae | Genus | Balaenoptera | Species | physalus |
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Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 09/15/2022
What We Do
Conservation & Management
NOAA Fisheries is committed to the protection and recovery of fin whales. Our work to protect and recover fin whales includes:
- Coordinating with maritime industries to advance conservation measures to protect fin whales from ship strike
- Responding to stranded and entangled fin whales
- Monitoring population abundance and distribution
- Educating the public about fin whales and the threats they face
Science
Our research projects have discovered new aspects of fin whale biology, behavior, and ecology and helped us better understand the challenges that all fin whales face. This research is especially important in rebuilding endangered populations. Our work includes:
- Taxonomy and systematics
- Stock assessments
- Measuring the response of animals to sound using digital acoustic recording tags
Featured News


Related Species
Recreational Fishing Regulations
Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 09/15/2022
Commercial Fishing Regulations
Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 09/15/2022
Subsistence Fishing Regulations
Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 09/15/2022
Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 09/15/2022
Management Overview
The fin whale is listed as endangered throughout its range under the Endangered Species Act and as depleted throughout its range under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. This means that it is in danger of extinction throughout all or much of its range. NOAA is working to protect this species in many ways, with the goal to protect them from threat and increase their population size.
Regulatory History
Within the United States, the fin whale is listed as endangered throughout its range under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and is listed as depleted throughout its range under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972.
Key Actions and Documents
Incidental Take Authorization: National Science Foundation Office of Polar Programs Geophysical Survey in the Ross Sea, Antarctica
Incidental Take Authorization: Orsted Wind Power North America, LLC Marine Site Characterization Surveys off of New York to Massachusetts
Incidental Take Authorization: Attentive Energy LLC Marine Site Characterization Surveys off of New Jersey and New York
Incidental Take Authorization: Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Bight, LLC Marine Site Characterization Surveys off of New Jersey and New York
Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 09/15/2022
Science Overview
NOAA Fisheries researches the biology, behavior, and ecology of the fin whale. We use the results to inform management decisions and recovery efforts for this endangered species.

Stock Assessments
Determining the number of fin whales in each population—and whether a stock is growing or shrinking over time—helps resource managers assess the success of conservation measures. Our scientists collect information and present these data in annual stock assessment reports.
Acoustic Science
Other research focuses on the acoustic environment of cetaceans, including fin whales. (Acoustics is the science of how sound is transmitted.) We study the basic acoustic behavior of whales, dolphins, and fish; map the acoustic environment; and develop better ways to find cetaceans using autonomous gliders and passive acoustic arrays.
Acoustics can reveal differences between fin whale populations and monitor hearing levels and feeding behavior. We also study how underwater noise affects the way fin whales behave, eat, interact with each other, and move within their habitat.
More Information
Recent Science Blogs
Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 09/15/2022
Documents
Biological Opinion on Hilcorp Cook Inlet Tugs Towing a Jack-up Rig
Opinion on the effects of tugs towing a jack-up rig on the endangered fin whale, threatened Mexican…
Biological Opinion Office of Naval Research (ONR) Arctic Activities
Endangered Species Act (ESA) Section 7(a)(2) Biological Opinion Office of Naval Research (ONR)…
Biological Opinion on 10 Fishery Management Plans
Biological Opinion on 10 Fishery Management Plans in the Greater Atlantic Region and the New…
Alaska Region Marine Mammal Annual Stranding Reports
Annual summary reports of strandings of cetaceans (whales) and pinnipeds (seals and sea lions) that…
Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 09/15/2022