Gambell had tabulated the calculated boimass of Southern Hemisphere stocks of baleen whales, summarised below, with the catches taken in the same period. It is assumed that the Minke whale has attained its recent abundance, starting from an initial very small population and benefiting from the 'surplus' of krill resulting from the decline of the Blue whale; furthermore, that other competitors, not necessarily whales, have not so benefited. Thus, were it not for the intensive catching in the 1970's the Minke whale might now be in a period of increase, although the Blue whale should be, relatively, in an even more active period since it has been protected.