HISTORICAL and CURRENT POPULATION:
Before the steam engine, the Fin Whales were saved from commercial whaling because of their speed. Nearly 750,000 fin whales were killed in the Southern Hemisphere between 1904 and 1979.
Global population estimates less than 100,000 to about 119,000. This makes fin an endangered species.
HUMAN INTERACTION:
The Fin Whale has been hunted for many decades. This has resulted with the whales on the endangered species list. A large threat today is with the collision of ships in the ocean, causing the Fin Whale to be injured or killed. Boats and ships are larger and more advanced today, making it more difficult for the Fin Whale to escape being hunted.
PROTECTION FOR THE FIN WHALE:
Most countries have agreed to not hunt the Fin Whale since they are are the endangered list. Japan and Iceland still allow hunting with a yearly quota. The majority of whale meat ends up in Japanese markets. The U.S. has tried to persuade Iceland to end commercial whaling, The U.S. government declared Iceland in defiance of this ban.
VIEWING:
Fin Whales can be found on whale watching excursions worldwide. The best sightings occur between November and March. In some areas the whales may be seen from land like Palos Verdes. Cruise ships to and from the Antarctic Peninsula also have seen Fin Whales in the Drake Passage.