The Fin Whale is the second largest animal on Earth after the Blue Whale. By the time the fin whale hunt was banned in 1972, populations had dwindled along the east coast of Canada, particularly along the Scotian Shelf.
Since that time, the fin whale population appears to be recovering. The shortage of data on the species nevertheless justifies its continuing designation as being “of special concern”.
Chemical pollution and a possible drop in the abundance of the fish stocks fin whales rely on for food are the primary threats facing the species.