Exploitation begins in the 10th century...
Previous Population and DistributionThe North Atlantic right whale was once found throughout the North Atlantic. Exploitation began around the 10th-11th centuries, with peaks between the 13th-17th centuries. By 1700 it was too rare to be of economic importance.
Current Population and Distribution
This whale still occurs in parts of the Atlantic Ocean, from the Norwegian Sea, Davis Strait and Denmark Strait south to Massachusetts and Bay of Biscay in the summer. In the winter the range extends south to Florida and the Golfo de Cintra, western Sahara. The species is occasionally found in European waters, but is close to extinction in the eastern North Atlantic. Recent evidence suggests decreased survival and reproductive rates, an indication that the population may be declining.