The blue whale (*Balaenoptera musculus*) is the largest animal on Earth, renowned for its immense size and distinctive blue-gray coloration. Historically, blue whales were heavily targeted by the whaling industry for their blubber and oil, especially during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The top blue whale hunting countries included Norway, the Soviet Union, Japan, and the United Kingdom, with significant operations also based in Iceland and the United States. These nations operated large fleets of factory ships and catchers, decimating blue whale populations across the world's oceans. Due to overexploitation, blue whale numbers plummeted, leading to their near-extinction. International regulations, culminating in the International Whaling Commission's 1966 ban on blue whale hunting, have since protected the species, and today, commercial blue whale fishing is illegal worldwide. Modern fishing industries no longer target blue whales, focusing instead on more sustainable fish species, while blue whales remain a symbol of conservation efforts and marine biodiversity.
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Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.