Southern Hemisphere Baleen Whale Stock (tons)

Author: Gambell (1974)


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.

Species 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970
Blue17,100,00014,300,0003,600,0001,600,000400,000500,000
Fin22,300,00021,200,00015,200,00013,700,0006,300,0004,400,000
Sei2,700,0002,700,0002,700,0002,700,0002,700,0001,500,000
Humpback1,500,0001,000,000600,000600,000200,000200,000
Minke500,000600,000800,0001,000,0001,200,0001,500,000
Total Biomass 41,000,000 40,000,000 22,900,000 19,600,000 10,800,000 8,100,000

Source: "Mammals in the Seas: General papers and large cetaceans".
By The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Working Party on Marine Mammals.




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