The gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) is a large baleen whale known for its long migrations along the Pacific coasts of North America and Asia. Historically, gray whales were heavily targeted by commercial whaling operations for their oil and meat, with major hunting nations including the United States, Canada, Japan, and Russia. By the early 20th century, intensive whaling had pushed gray whales to the brink of extinction, leading to their protection under international agreements such as the International Whaling Commission (IWC) moratorium. Today, commercial hunting of gray whales is banned, but limited subsistence whaling is still permitted for indigenous communities in Russia (notably the Chukotka people) and occasionally in the United States (Alaska’s Makah tribe), who harvest small numbers for cultural and nutritional purposes. The modern industry is thus minimal and strictly regulated, with the focus now shifted toward conservation and whale watching tourism in countries like the United States and Mexico, where gray whales are a major attraction.
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Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.