Okhotsk Finwhale (Balaenoptera physalus) Modern Distribution and Abundance

Population of finwhales in north part of Pacific was exposed to excessive commercial pressure and was almost completely eliminated. Information about finwhales in the Sea of Okhotsk after ending is very poor. Observation of whales in the Okhotsk Sea was performed in June, July 2014 and April 2015 from ships travel to a research polygon, carrying out the following records: date, location of animal, species and number, their movement in relation to the vessel, the visual distance from the vessel to the whale, the intensity of their movements. In late June 2014, 40 individuals in 26 groups of finwhales were taken into account. On average, 10.12 individuals per 100 nautical miles of counting route are calculated. On 27 July 2014 during motion along the coast of eastern Sakhalin, we accounted 14 finwhales in 6 groups in total. On 27 July 2014, during motion along the coast of eastern Sakhalin, we accounted 14 finwhales in 6 groups in total of which are 3.55 groups and 8.28 individuals per 100 nautical miles of accounting route on average. The synthesis of the available literature information and own data shows 2- to 3-fold increase in the number of finwhales in the Sea of Okhotsk in last decades. Such a significant number of finwhales in Okhotsk Sea did not register any initial period of whaling or in the period of its development.