Endangered fin whale found dead on cruise ship in Alaska
NOAA is investigating after the adult male was found when the ship arrived in Sitka, marking the second such incident in Alaska this year.
A group of visitors watched in awe as whales bubble-net feed in Alaska’s Icy Strait on June 17.
A 57.5-foot fin whale was found dead on top of a cruise ship's bulbous bow in Alaska last week, marking the second such incident in the state this year.
The adult male fin whale was discovered after the ship arrived in Sitka on Thursday, Sept. 17, according to a statement from NOAA Fisheries Alaska. A local company towed the whale to a nearby beach, where the animal has been secured. The team could not beach the whale since it was freshly dead and not buoyant.
Image of a 57.5-foot adult male fin whale that was found on top of a cruise ship's bulbous bow in Sitka, Alaska, on Sept. 17, 2026. (Credit: NOAA Fisheries Permit #24359)
NOAA said it is working with its Alaska Marine Mammal Stranding Network partners to assess if a necropsy, or animal autopsy, can be performed to determine the cause of death.
"We ask the public to maintain a safe distance from the whale," the agency said in the statement.
The NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement is also investigating the incident and asks anyone with information to call the 24-hour enforcement hotline.
Images of the male fin whale that was found dead on a cruise ship in Sitka, Alaska, on Sept. 17, 2026. (Credit: NOAA Fisheries Permit #24359)
This is the second time this year a fin whale has been found dead on the bow of a cruise ship in Alaska. Near the end of June, a 61-foot pregnant female fin whale was discovered on a cruise ship after it docked in Seward.
Further examination revealed blunt force trauma to the ribs, spine and jaw consistent with a vessel strike; however, official tesing for cause of death can take months to complete.
Alaska SeaLife Center staff perform a necropsy on a deceased fin whale in Seward, Alaska on June 20, 2026. (Credit: Alaska SeaLife Center/Kaiti Grant, NOAA Fisheries Permit #24359)
Fin whales are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act and depleted under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, according to NOAA. The second-largest whale species on Earth, these whales are named for the visible fin on their backs near their tails. They also have long lives, reaching physical maturity at 25 and living up to 90 years. They are usually found in deep offshore waters across all major oceans and are less common in the tropics.
The greatest threat fin whales face is vessel strikes, which can injure or kill these animals, NOAA explained. Fin whales are likely the most vulnerable species to this threat, right after North Atlantic right whales. Other dangers faced by these whales include ocean noise, entanglement in fishing gear and changes in climate.
The agency emphasized the importance of protecting this vulnerable species.
"We remind the public that it is illegal for anyone to collect tissue, baleen or any part of the whale, unless you are an Alaska Native collecting tissue or parts for subsistence or use in handicrafts," the agency said.
Anyone who sees a stranded, entangled, injured or dead marine mammal is urged to call the NOAA Fisheries Alaska Statewide 24-hour Stranding Hotline.
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