Moment giant fin whale caught feeding on off Pembrokeshire coast

To avoid causing harm to the whales while recording out at sea, Morgan said: “We do what we can to keep our distance in the boat but unfortunately nature can have a mind of its own sometimes.

“There’s been times when we’ve been anchored up fishing with nothing happening in the area and a whale has popped up next to us.

“The wildlife will approach you sometimes.”

Dr Marianna Chimienti is a lecturer in marine top predator ecology at Bangor University and said Morgan experienced a “rare and fortunate encounter”.

Chimienti, who specialises in animal behaviour added: “It is normal that the fin whale comes and feeds at the surface, as it is part of the species foraging strategy but being in the coastal water is quite spectacular.

“In theory, they should have migrated.”

Little is known about fin whale migration but their movements are believed to be quite different from other baleen whales such as blues and humpbacks.

Scientists have found that fin whales are more abundant in higher latitudes in warmer months of the year, and more numerous in lower latitudes during colder months, but this can vary.