A tugboat towed the decomposing carcass of a whale from a Malibu beach out to sea, several days after it washed ashore and created a stench near the homes of film stars and millionaires.

The remains of the 18,000-kilogram fin whale were towed about 20 miles from shore by a crew hired by a homeowners' association, Los Angeles County fire inspector Brian Riley said.

The 40ft-long juvenile male washed ashore on Monday near Point Dume, attracting onlookers who wandered down the narrow beach to look at the remains - white bones, rolls of blubber and the tail flukes trailing along the water's edge. Massive estates line the cliffs high above the beach.

Jonsie Ross, marine mammal co-ordinator for the California Wildlife Centre, said an inspection of the whale's injury suggests it was hit by a ship.

No government agency took action to remove the decomposing whale, and it appeared the job would be left to Mother Nature.

The prospect frustrated James Respondek, who worried that the carcass would draw sharks and pose a threat to his young daughter, who swims in the cove, and to his favourite surfing spot down the beach.

"There seems to be no readiness to take responsibility, to take action, just a lot of excuses. 'I don't have a boat, I don't have the money, I don't have the resources', they all told me," he said on Friday.

The fire department's lifeguards patrol beaches in Malibu, but the homeowners' association did not take up their offer to assist with the towing, Mr Riley said.

Fin whales are endangered and about 2,300 live along the west coast. They are the second largest species of whale after blue whales and can grow up to 26 metres, weigh up to 80 tons and live to be 90 years old.