Status Summaries - by population
Right Whales
All three species were heavily exploited pre-20th century and substantially reduced1.
North Atlantic (Eubalaena glacialis).
One of the most endangered species of whales2 hunted since at least the 11th century3,4. In the east, sightings are extremely rare5. In the west, the population numbers were estimated below 400 in 20196,7 and 360 in 20228, with signs of decreasing since 2010. High mortality has been observed since 20179. Extinction risk has been linked to entanglements and vessel strikes10, 11, 12.
North Pacific (Eubalaena japonica).
Endangered with few signs of appreciable recovery and numbers are in the hundreds. There is no reliable population estimate for the Northwest Pacific but it is believed to be between 400 and 1,100 individuals13. Sightings in the Eastern North Pacific are rare14; the current abundance is not expected to exceed ~30 individuals15, 16; the current abundance is not expected to exceed ~30 individuals17, 18, excluding the Gulf of Alaska.
Southern right whales (Eubalaena australis).
Pre-exploitation abundance is estimated at 70000-100000 animals19, 20, 21. In 2009, there were around 14,00021 individuals distributed on calving grounds off Argentina/Brazil22, South Africa23, New Zealand24 and Australia. Populations are recovering at different rates but low abundances persist in Brazil, SE Australia and Chile-Peru20, 25. Demographic changes of concern - including low numbers of cow-calf pairs - have been observed in South Africa since 201526, 27. Increased calving intervals are observed in South Africa and the southwest Atlantic. The southwest Atlantic and southeast Pacific populations are the subject of CMPs (See Conservation below). Salmon farming, noise and vessel strikes pose threats to the Southeast Pacific population28.
Blue Whales (Balaenoptera musculus)
Were severely exploited across their distribution range.
North Atlantic
Present status has not been fully assessed, but encouragingly, evidence suggests they were increasing, at least in the central area. There were 3000 animals in central N. Atlantic (in 2015) particularly in the west and north of Iceland, showing a significant increase since 200129. They remain rare in the northeast Atlantic29, 30 (reference years: 2007 and 2015) where they were once common. Several hundred were seen in their summer feeding ground in the Gulf of St Lawrence31, 32, 33, 34.
North Pacific
There are insufficient data to comment on their present status in the central and western North Pacific although they are sighted in surveys in the western North Pacific35. There are around 2,000 animals in the eastern North Pacific36, where the population has reached levels close to recovery37, 38.
Southern Hemisphere
Pre-exploitation size of Antarctic blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus intermedia) may have been as many as 2-300,000 whales39. They are currently thought to exceed 2,000 individuals (based on circumpolar estimates in the 1990s and 2000s)40, 41, 42. Although they have shown an increasing trend since the 1970s, their levels remain low compared to pre-exploitation39, 43. There have been no assessments of the pygmy blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) to date but efforts are made to separate the two subspecies in terms of historical catch and distribution44, 45 and to separate stocks within pygmy blue whales.
Fin Whales (B. physalus)
Were heavily exploited across their distribution range during the 20th century46.
North Atlantic
Total abundance, based on the most up-to-date estimates available, is around 74,00029, 46, 47, 48 whales although not all areas have been surveyed. Assessments show the Central and West Greenland populations to be in a healthy state. Their status in other areas has not been fully assessed but fin whales in the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence are showing signs of decline49. Fin whales in the Mediterranean are believed to be declining with ship strikes being one of the threats50, 51, 52, 53, 54.
North Pacific
There are insufficient data to assess their present status. For the eastern North Pacific, partial estimates show around 3,000 (2013)55 whales in the Gulf of Alaska, 1,000 (2010)56 on the eastern Bering Sea shelf, around 400 (2009-2014) along the Canadian continental shelf57, more than 8,000 (2014)58 in California, Oregon, and Washington waters.
Southern Hemisphere
There has been no recent full assessment of the status. There is some evidence that populations in the Antarctic are increasing59.
Sperm Whales (Physeter macrocephalus).
Cosmopolitan species60, heavily exploited, particularly during the 1960s61. The IWC has no recently accepted reliable estimates of abundance because their estimation is complicated by their long dive times and their behaviour61. Although not endangered the species has probably not recovered to pre-whaling levels61, 62.
North Atlantic
Local surveys estimate 20,000 (2015) sperm whales in the central Atlantic29, less than 4,000 (2015) in the northeast Atlantic47. The Mediterranean sperm whale population is genetically distinct from the Atlantic populations with fewer than 3000 individuals63, 64
North Pacific
In the western North Pacific sperm whales are estimated at 10,000 individuals (2012) 35. The IWC plans to assess eastern North Pacific sperm whales.
Southern Hemisphere
Circumpolar abundance estimates of sperm whale males, based on IDCR/SOWER data, exceed 8,500 (1997/98) males65
Gray Whales (Eschrichtius robustus)
Heavily exploited pre-20th century. They have been protected since the 1930s apart from some subsistence whaling. After some recent fluctuation (the 2019-2023 unusual mortality event66), the eastern North Pacific population abundance is now considered stable at around 20,00067 (2024). The status of the western North Pacific population is endangered; the population is subject to a CMP. Around 200 gray whales regularly feed off Sakhalin Island, Russia; although population numbers have slowly increased by 4% since the 1990s 68, 69, the low numbers of individual whales observed in 2022-2023 raise concern70. Primary threats are entanglement and activities related to oil and gas. A basin-wide assessment is almost complete. In the Atlantic, gray whales have been considered extinct since the 1700s71 but some recent sightings have been reported72, 73.
Bryde’s Whales
Currently classified as Balaenoptera edeni but its taxonomy is reviewed74. They occur in warm, tropical and warm-temperate waters75. They have not been heavily exploited – except in the western North Pacific - and their populations are not endangered76. In the western North Pacific, the 2011-2014 (partial) abundance estimate is 41,00077, 78 where they are currently hunted in the Japanese EEZ.
Sei Whales (B. borealis)
They were heavily exploited from the late 1950s to the mid-1970s 79.
North Atlantic
There are insufficient data to assess their present status. Surveys show little sign of an increase in the northeast Atlantic. There were just under 10,000 whales in 2007 in the central region80, 1,500 and 700 in West and East Greenland respectively81. The average abundance estimate (2010-2013) is 6,300 from Nova Scotia, Canada to Florida82.
North Pacific
Recent surveys indicate current abundance is over 30,00083, 84. An assessment of North Pacific sei whales is underway.
Southern Hemisphere
Little information is known about their abundance and trends. Anecdotal and opportunistic reports allude to increasing occurrence in the coastal waters of southern South America85, 86, 87 and the Falkland Islands, where sei whales number around 700 individuals (2018)88.
Antarctic Minke Whales (Balaenoptera bonaerensis).
The exploitation of Antarctic minke whales began in the early 1970s89. The most recent estimate (1998) of total abundance in the surveyed areas south of 60°S is higher than 500,00090. However, there has been an appreciable decline in estimated abundance between the 1985/6-1990/91 and 1991/92- 2003/04 circumpolar surveys. Work continues to determine whether this decline is real or an artefact. Climate change has been a concern91.
Common Minke Whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata).
North Atlantic (B. acutorostrata acutorostrata)
These stocks are in a healthy state and generally abundant. Recent reliable abundance estimates for the north-eastern and central North Atlantic and off West Greenland total around 200,000 animals92, 93, 94, 95. The Canadian East coast stock numbers some 20,000 whales96. Since 2017, increased mortality of minke whales has been observed along the US East coast1
North Pacific (B. acutorostrata scammoni)
They were heavily hunted in the western North Pacific. Stock structure complexity makes conclusions on status difficult. There is no estimate for the entire North Pacific. Partial abundance estimates in the western North Pacific total 23,00097, 98, 99, 100, 101; Japan takes an average of 120 whales per year (2017-2021)102. There is concern over the status of the 'J-stock(s)', whose range includes the Yellow, East China, and Sea of Japan/East Sea, where there is considerable bycatch in fishing gear103, 104, 105, 106, 107. In the eastern North Pacific, surveys do not cover the distribution of the species; partial estimates total 4,000108, 109, 110, 111 individuals. A new assessment is underway.
Southern Hemisphere
The dwarf minke whale (B. acutorostrata unnamed subs.) typically occurs from the Equator to the Antarctic. There is insufficient information on the biology, population structure and abundance of the subspecies to assess status.
Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae)
have been heavily hunted throughout their distributional range112
North Atlantic
In the northeast Atlantic, they number a little less than 25,000 animals29, 30, 47, 113. Abundance estimates from surveys of the Canadian feeding ground are partial and estimate some 12,000 whales in the area114. Less than 1000 individuals are estimated for West Greenland30, where the population has been increasing115, 116. Increasing or stabilising trends are observed for most North Atlantic regions but it is not clear whether they can be attributed to population growth or distributional shifts113. They are vulnerable to entanglement. Since January 2016, high mortalities have occurred along the US East Coast2. An assessment is expected within the next few years.
North Pacific
During the period 2004-2006, humpback whales in the North Pacific numbered more than 21,000 individuals117. They have been increasing in most areas for which there are data36,118. Abundance in their Asian wintering area may be about 1,000119, 120. An IWC assessment of status was completed in 2024 and indicated a strong overall recovery since the mid-1960s, with the population reaching a peak in 2014121. After 2014 regional declines have been linked to an extreme marine heat wave122,123.
Southern Hemisphere
Southern Hemisphere humpbacks were primarily exploited between 1904 and 1965 on both their Southern Ocean feeding grounds and low-latitude breeding grounds124. In many areas, they have shown evidence of strong recovery with high annual increase rates (7-12%) recorded around the Antarctic125, in the south-west Atlantic124,126, off Australia127, 128, 129, 130, Southern Africa and South America131, 132. Population models predicted > 96,000 in the Southern Hemisphere (2015)133. Estimates of abundance from the majority of the Southern Hemisphere breeding grounds can be found in literature127, 129, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141.
Bowhead Whales (Balaena mysticetus).
Heavily exploited pre-20th century. The population in the Bering- Chukchi-Beaufort Seas has been recovering142,143. In 2019 its abundance was 14,000-17,000 animals144. The eastern Arctic-West Greenland population numbers 6,500 individuals (2013)145, 146, 147. The Okhotsk Sea stock amounts to 200 whales (in 2016)148 and the Svalbard stock 300 (in 2015)149.
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