The narwhal is listed as near threatened, meaning it is is close to qualifying for or is likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future.
The Canadian government instituted Narwhal Protection Regulations under the Fisheries Act in 1971. This made hunting narwhals illegal for anyone other than the Inuits. There is a catch limit of 5 narwhals a year per subsistence hunter and hunters are required to utilize every part of the narwhal.