Top Bowhead Whale Fishing Countries

The Bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) is a large baleen whale native to Arctic and sub-Arctic regions, renowned for its massive bow-shaped skull and thick blubber, adaptations for life in icy waters. Historically, Bowhead whales were heavily targeted by commercial whalers for their oil and baleen from the 17th to early 20th centuries, leading to drastic population declines. Today, commercial whaling is banned, but Bowhead whales are still harvested in limited numbers by Indigenous peoples for subsistence purposes, primarily in the United States (Alaska), Canada, Russia, and Greenland. These countries, under the International Whaling Commission's (IWC) regulations, allow Indigenous communities to hunt Bowhead whales for traditional, nutritional, and cultural needs, rather than for commercial sale. The modern Bowhead whale harvest is tightly regulated to ensure sustainability and the preservation of both the species and Indigenous traditions.

Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.