Fin Whale

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Context

• Japan has expanded its commercial whaling to include fin whales, the second-largest animal species, a move criticized by Australia's government.

Historical Context and Recent Developments

• Japan, one of only three countries that hunt whales commercially alongside Norway and Iceland, has added fin whales to its catch list, which already includes minke, Bryde's, and sei whales.
• Japan has a long history of whaling, with whale meat being a key protein source post-World War II.
• After an International Whaling Commission (IWC) moratorium on commercial whaling, Japan continued hunting whales for "scientific" purposes until quitting the IWC in 2019.
• Japan resumed commercial whaling in its territorial waters and exclusive economic zone, killing 294 whales last year, a number it considers sustainable.
• A panel of experts from Japan supported the hunting of fin whales, describing them as "an important food resource."

Concern

• Fin whales are classified as "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, raising concerns among animal rights activists.

Fin Whale

• The fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), also known as the finback whale or common rorqual, is a baleen whale species and the second-longest cetacean after the blue whale.
• The largest recorded individual reached 26 meters in length and weighed between 77 to 81 tonnes.
• Its long, slender body is brownish-gray with a paler underside, a form of countershading that makes it less visible from below.

Subspecies

• Two main subspecies of fin whales are recognized: one in the North Atlantic and another across the Southern Hemisphere.

Habitat

• Fin whales are found in all major oceans from polar to tropical waters, excluding regions close to polar ice packs and some small areas away from the open ocean.
• They are most densely populated in temperate and cool waters and less common in the warmest equatorial regions.

North Atlantic:

• Extends from the Gulf of Mexico and Mediterranean Sea to Baffin Bay and Spitsbergen, with a summer feeding range mainly between 41°20'N and 51°00'N.

North Pacific:

• Includes waters from central Baja California to Japan, and as far north as the Chukchi Sea.
• Their migration pattern is not fully understood, but they are known to feed in high-latitude areas during summer and migrate south in the autumn.

Southern Hemisphere:

• Primarily migratory, moving from high-latitude Antarctic feeding grounds in summer to low-latitude breeding areas in winter.

Predation

• The fin whale's only known predator is the killer whale.

Feeding

• Fin whales are filter feeders, primarily consuming small schooling fish, squid, and crustaceans like krill.
• Their feeding technique involves lunging at high speeds to engulf large volumes of water, which is then filtered through their baleen plates.
• They can consume up to 1,800 kg (4,000 lb) of food daily.

Human Interaction

Whaling

• Historically, fin whales were heavily hunted during the "golden age" of whaling.
• Over 700,000 fin whales were taken from the Southern Hemisphere alone between 1904 and 1975.
• Though whaling has decreased, fin whales are still hunted in some regions under specific quotas, and commercial whaling continues in certain countries.

Ship Collisions

• Collisions with ships are a significant cause of mortality for fin whales, particularly in areas with heavy maritime traffic. Efforts have been made to monitor and mitigate these risks.

Whale Watching

• Fin whales are a popular attraction for whale watching, particularly in regions like Monterey Bay, the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and the Strait of Gibraltar. They are commonly observed from land and sea during specific seasons.

Conservation

• They are listed as vulnerable by the IUCN and are protected under various international agreements and national regulations.
• Despite ongoing threats from entanglement in fishing gear and potential impacts from military sonar, their populations are recovering, though they remain at risk from human activities.

READ MORE: https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/fin-whales

READ ON INETRNATIONAL WHALING COMMISSION: https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/vaquita

PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Which of the following statements about Fin whales is/are correct? 1.Fin whales are classified as "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). 2.Fin whales are the second-longest cetacean after the blue whale. 3.Fin whales are filter feeders.  Select the correct answer using the code below: a) 1 and 2 only b) 1 and 3 only c) 2 and 3 only d) 1, 2, and 3  Answer: d)

 SOURCE: THE HINDU