Fin Whale
Protection Status
Quick Facts
About the Species
Population Status
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California/Oregon/Washington -
Hawaii -
Alaska (Northeast Pacific) -
Western North Atlantic
Appearance
Behavior and Diet
Where They Live
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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
Lifespan & Reproduction
Threats
Vessel Strikes
Entanglement in Fishing Gear
Ocean Noise
Climate Change
Scientific Classification
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What We Do
Conservation & Management
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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
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Taxonomy and systematics -
Stock assessments -
Measuring the response of animals to sound using digital acoustic recording tags
How You Can Help
Report Marine Life in Distress
Reduce Speed and Be on the Lookout
Report a Violation
Featured News
Related Species
In the Spotlight
Management Overview
Recovery Planning and Implementation
Recovery Action
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Reduce or eliminate injury or death caused by ship collision -
Reduce or eliminate injury or death caused by fisheries and fishing gear -
Protect habitats essential to the survival and recovery of the species -
Minimize effects of vessel disturbance -
Continue the international ban on hunting and other directed take -
Monitor the population size and trends in abundance of the species -
Maximize efforts to free entangled or stranded fin whales and get scientific information from dead specimens
Implementation
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Reduce entanglement in fishing gear -
Respond to stranded and entangled fin whales -
Rescue collision risk to fin whales
Conservation Efforts
Reducing Entanglement in Fishing Gear
Reducing Vessel Strikes
Addressing Ocean Noise
Overseeing Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response
Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events
Educating the Public
Regulatory History
Key Actions and Documents
Incidental Take Authorization: Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, LLC's marine site characterization surveys off of New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and
Incidental Take Authorization: Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company LLC's construction with the LNYBL Natural Gas Pipeline Maintenance in Sandy Hook
Incidental Take Authorization: Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center's construction activities at Eareckson Air Station Fuel Pier Repair in Alcan
Incidental Take Authorization: U.S. Navy Hawaii-Southern California Training and Testing (HSTT) (2018-2025)
Science Overview
Stock Assessments
Acoustic Science
More Information
Recent Science Blogs
Documents
Biological Opinion National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Protected Resources, Permits and Conservation Division Minor Waterfront Maintenance, Repair, and Replacement Projects, Southcentral and Southeast Alaska
Biological Opinion Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities Construction of the Tongass Narrows Project, Ketchikan, Alaska
Biological Opinion on Whittier Head of the Bay Cruise Ship Dock, Passage Canal, Whittier, Alaska
Biological Opinion on Hilcorp Cook Inlet Tugs Towing a Jack-up Rig