BC Conservation Data Centre: Conservation Status Report
Balaenoptera physalus
Fin Whale
| Scientific Name: | Balaenoptera physalus |
|---|---|
| English Name: | Fin Whale |
| Provincial Status Summary | |
| Status: | S3N |
| Date Status Assigned: | March 21, 2021 |
| Date Last Reviewed: | March 21, 2021 |
| Reasons: |
There are approximately 1,877 mature Fin Whales occuring in both inshore and outer coastal waters of BC. Threats were determined to be medium (COSEWIC 2019), with the greatest threats being ship strikes, entanglement in fishing gear and disturbance from underwater noise. As of 2018, the population has been stable in inshore waters (Nichol et al. 2018; Doniol-Valcroze et al. in press). |
| Range | |
| Range Extent: | G = 200,000-2,500,000 square km |
| Range Extent Estimate (km2): | >250,000 |
| Range Extent Comments: | The range extent in BC waters based on a polygon encompassing recent sightings (Ford 2014) is >250,000 km2. Fin Whales are found in both inshore coastal waters and in outer coast waters, particularly offshore of the continental shelf (Ford 2014). |
| Area of Occupancy (km2): | U = Unknown |
| Area of Occupancy Comments: | It is difficult to determine area of occupancy for such a highly mobile species. The area of occupancy in BC waters is likely similar to the range extent. Fin Whale calls are typically detected on autonomous underwater acoustic recorders off the BC coast in most months of the year but they are particularly common from August through February (Koot 2015; Pilkington et al. 2018). Once thought to be strongly migratory, Fin Whale seasonal movements are now recognized as complex, with individuals found throughout their range in all months of the year (COSEWIC 2019). |
| Occurrences & Population | |
| Number of Occurrences: | U = Unknown |
| Comments: | It is not possible to determine number of occurrences from the distribution of recent sightings, which are scattered in offshore waters from southwest Vancouver Island to northern Haida Gwaii as well as in Dixon Entrance, Hecate Strait and some mainland fjords (Ford 2014). There is some site fidelity to particular regions in BC coastal waters (e.g. Caamano Sound, Kitimat Fjord System), although movement of animals outside of these areas does take place (Nichol et al. 2018). |
| Number of Occurrences with Good Viability / Ecological Integrity: | Rank Factor not assessed |
| Percent Area with Good Viability / Ecological Integrity: | F = Excellent (>40%) |
| Comments: | Fin Whale habitat is primarily in deep waters near to or offshore of the continental shelf slope and in Dixon Entrance and Hecate Strait, where the whales feed on euphausiid zooplankton (krill). This habitat presumably has excellent integrity. The primary habitat issues are periodical warm water events (e.g., El Niņo and Pacific Decadal Oscillation) that affect distribution and abundance of prey, and increasing vessel noise levels caused by expanded shipping (Gregr et al. 2006; Williams et al. 2014; Redfern et al. 2017). |
| Number of Occurrences Appropriately Protected & Managed: | U = Unknown |
| Comments: | Number of occurrences unknown. |
| Population Size: | D = 1,000 - 2,500 individuals |
| Comments: | A coast-wide systematic ship survey in 2018 resulted in an abundance estimate of 3,910 Fin Whales in BC waters (CV = 0.31, 95% confidence limits 2,123-7,200; Doniol-Valcroze et al. in press). Assuming 48% are mature (Taylor et al. 2007), the estimate yields 1,877 (1,019-3,456) mature individuals. |
| Threats (to population, occurrences, or area affected) | |
| Degree of Threat: | C = Medium |
| Comments: | The greatest anthropogenic threat to Fin Whales currently is mortality through ship strikes. It is estimated that 43 Fin Whales per year are killed by ship strikes off the US west coast, assuming a 55% avoidance rate (Rockwood et al. 2017). This represents <0.5% of the population in that region (Carretta et al. 2020). This level of mortality is unlikely to affect recovery of the population (Rockwood et al. 2017). During 1997-2017, 17 dead Fin Whales were reported in BC waters. Of these, 5 were lodged on the bulbous bows of large ships and 2 were observed floating with partially severed bodies, likely a result of a ship strike (COSEWIC 2019). The area of greatest potential risk would presumably be in shipping lanes off the west coast of Vancouver Island (Nichol et al. 2017). Other threats include entanglement in fishing gear and disturbance from underwater noise, including ship noise, seismic survey airguns, and naval sonar (Gregr et al. 2006; COSEWIC 2019). There is no evidence that these have caused mortality or other population level effects on Fin Whales in BC waters. Results of threat calculator: Medium (COSEWIC 2019). |
| Trend (in population, range, area occupied, and/or condition of occurrences) | |
| Short-Term Trend: | GI = Relatively Stable to increase of >25% |
| Comments: | Given an estimated generation time of 25.9 years (Taylor et al. 2007), current abundance has likely increased since 1944 (i.e., 3 generations ago). Approximately 3,432 Fin Whales were processed at the Coal Harbour Whaling Station on northwestern Vancouver Island between 1944 and 1967, when the station closed (Ford 2014). During the final years of whaling, the proportion of Fin Whales declined while the proportion of the smaller Sei Whales increased, suggesting that Fin Whales had become depleted. If 1,000 Fin Whales remained in BC waters at the end of the whaling period, then roughly 2,200-2,600 may have existed in 1947, or about 3 generations ago (COSEWIC 2019). Given a 2018 coast-wide abundance estimate of 3,910 whales (Doniol-Valcroze et al. in press), the population has likely increased over the past 3 generations. Abundance estimates for areas of inner coastal waters suggest between 2004 and 2018 suggest that the population in these inshore waters has been stable (Nichol et al. 2018; Doniol-Valcroze et al. in press). |
| Long-Term Trend: | AD = Decline of >50% |
| Comments: | Pre-whaling abundance of Fin Whales in the eastern North Pacific is 8,520?10,970 (COSEWIC 2019). This represents a >50% decline but it should be noted that the cause of this long-term decline (whaling) has ended. |
| Other Factors | |
| Intrinsic Vulnerability: | BC=Moderately vulnerable to not intrinsically vulnerable. |
| Comments: | Fin Whales mature at 6-8 years of age on average and females typically have an interbirth interval of 2 years (Ford 2014; COSEWIC 2019). The only significant predator of Fin Whales is the Killer Whale, but predation of adults appears to be rare (Ford and Reeves 2008). |
| Environmental Specificity: | BC=Narrow to moderate. |
| Comments: | Fin Whales have a relatively narrow ecological niche. They feed mostly on euphausiids (krill), that are concentrated by oceanographic processes (currents, upwelling) into densities viable for feeding (Nichol et al. 2018; COSEWIC 2019). About 4% of Fin Whales examined at the Coal Harbour whaling station had been feeding on copepods (Ford 2014). Schooling fish (e.g. Pacific Herring) are also consumed occasionally. |
| Other Rank Considerations: | |
| Information Gaps | |
| Research Needs: | See Action Plan (Fisheries and Oceans Canada 2017) |
| Inventory Needs: | See Action Plan (Fisheries and Oceans Canada 2017) |
| Stewardship | |
| Protection: | See Action Plan (Fisheries and Oceans Canada 2017) |
| Management: | See Action Plan (Fisheries and Oceans Canada 2017) |
| Version | |
| Author: | Ford, John |
| Date: | March 31, 2021 |
| References | |
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Carretta, J.V., K.A. Forney, E.M. Oleson, et al. 2020. U.S. Pacific Marine Mammal Stock Assessments: 2019 U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-SWFSC-629.
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COSEWIC. 2019. COSEWIC assessment and status report on the Fin Whale Balaenoptera physalus, Atlantic population and Pacific population, in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. xv + 72 pp
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Doniol-Valcroze, T., L. Nichol, B. Wright, et al. In press. Abundance estimates of cetaceans from the 2018 Pacific Region International Survey of Marine Megafauna. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc.
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Fisheries and Oceans Canada. 2017. Action Plan for Blue, Fin, Sei and North Pacific Right Whales (Balaenoptera musculus, B. physalus, B. borealis, and Eubalaena japonica) in Canadian Pacific Waters. Species at Risk Act Action Plan Series. Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Ottawa. iv + 28 pp.
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Ford, J.K.B. 2014. Marine Mammals of British Columbia. Royal BC Museum Handbook, Mammals of BC, volume 6. Royal B.C. Mus., Victoria, BC. 460 pp.
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Ford, J.K.B. and R.R. Reeves. 2008. Fight or flight: antipredator strategies of baleen whales. Mammal Review, 38:50-86.
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Gregr, E.J., J. Calambokidis, L. Convey, J.K.B. Ford, R.I. Perry, L. Spaven, M. Zacharias. 2006. Recovery Strategy for Blue, Fin, and Sei Whales (Balaenoptera musculus, B. physalus, and B. borealis) in Pacific Canadian Waters. In Species at Risk Act Recovery Strategy Series. Vancouver: Fisheries and Oceans Canada. vii + 53 pp.
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Koot, B. 2015. Winter behaviour and population structure of Fin Whales (Balaenopteraphysalus) in British Columbia inferred from passive acoustic data. Thesis, Univ. of B.C., Vancouver, BC. 111 p.
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Nichol, L.M., B.M. Wright, P. O'Hara, and J.K.B. Ford. 2017. Risk of lethal vessel strikes to humpback Megaptera novaeangliae and fin Balaenoptera physalus whales off the west coast of Vancouver Island, Canada. Endangered Species Research 32:373-390.
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Nichol, L.M., R.M. Abernethy, B.M. Wright, et al. 2018. Distribution, movements and habitat fidelity patterns of Fin Whales (Balaenoptera physalus) in Canadian Pacific Waters. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2017/004. vii + 52 p.
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Pilkington, J.F., E.H. Stredulinsky, R.M. Abernethy, R.M., and J.K.B. Ford. 2018. Patterns of Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) Seasonality and Relative Distribution in Canadian Pacific Waters Inferred from Passive Acoustic Monitoring. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2018/032. vi + 26 p.
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Redfern, J.V., L.T. Hatch, C. Caldow, et al. 2017. Assessing the risk of chronic shipping noise to baleen whales off Southern California, USA. Endangered Species Research, 32:153-167.
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Rockwood, R.C., J. Calambokidis, and J. Jahncke. 2017. High mortality of blue, humpback and fin whales from modeling of vessel collisions on the U.S. West Coast suggests population impacts and insufficient protection. PLoS ONE 12(8): e0183052.
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Taylor, B.L., S.J. Chivers, J. Larese, and W.F. Perrin. 2007. Generation length and percent mature estimates for IUCN assessments of cetaceans. Administrative Report LJ-07-01. National Marine Fisheries Service, Southwest Fisheries Science Center. LaJolla, CA. 24 pp.
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Williams, R., C.W. Clark, D. Ponirakis, and E. Ashe. 2014b. Acoustic quality of critical habitats for three threatened whale populations. Animal conservation, 17(2), pp.174-185.
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Please visit the website Conservation Status Ranks for information on how the CDC determines conservation status ranks. For global conservation status reports and ranks, please visit the NatureServe website http://www.natureserve.org/.
Suggested Citation:
B.C. Conservation Data Centre. 2021. Conservation Status Report: Balaenoptera physalus. B.C. Minist. of Environment. Available: https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eswp/ (accessed Jul 6, 2026).