Fin whale - Threats

With krill reduced, will they go too?

Fin whales have been greatly affected by historical hunting, mostly due to their economically valuable blubber, oil and baleen. The recovery of the southern hemisphere fin whale may be undermined by, among other things, a reduction of Southern Ocean krill due to climate change.

Pollution
Fin whales are also threatened by habitat degradation. In some regions they have been shown to carry high levels of pollutants such as heavy metals, PCBs and other organochlorine compounds that accumulate with age and transfer between mother and calf during nursing. These substances can cause health and reproductive problems in cetaceans.
Find out more about pollution

Boat collisions
Boat collisions are another serious cause of fin whale mortality, particularly in areas with high-speed vessel traffic.

Bycatch
They are also vulnerable to incidental catches in fishing gear, but less so than many other cetacean species.
Find out more about bycatch

Hunting
The potential resumption of whaling remains an ongoing threat for this valuable species.