Sei Whale
Human Interference
One of the biggest threats to the sei whale is caused by humans.
Sei whales are often victims of by-catch, which is when marine mammals unintentionally end up being caught by commercial fishing. When sei whales are accidentally caught in fishing lines and nets, they can be severely injured, if not killed.
Sei whales aren’t just killed accidentally, however. Whaling, a multi-million dollar industry is still in action today, and after the blue whale population went down, the sei whale became the next target. Whaling began over 4,000 years ago, and still continues to this day. Over time, as whaling came to the Americas, it became a multi-million dollar industry. Luckily, in 1971, the United States outlawed whaling. Despite that, there are still countries like Japan and Norway that support whaling (National Geographic Society, 2011). After the stocks of fin whales and blue whales were depleted, sei whales became the target of commercial fishing (WWF, 2016).
“50 sei whales are killed annually by Japanese whalers in the North Pacific under Japan's "scientific" whaling program” (WWF, 2016).
“During the 19th and 20th centuries, sei whales were targeted and greatly depleted by commercial hunting and whaling, with an estimated 300,000 animals killed for their meat and oil” (NOAA Fisheries, 2019).
The effects of pollution on the sei whale. This graphic image is the truth of how humans impact marine quality of life.
Ram, Bea. “‘Dead Whale’ Of The Philippines Reminds Us That Ocean Pollution Is Getting Out Of
Control.” Bored Panda, Bored Panda, 16 May 2017, www.boredpanda.com/dead-whale-sculpture-ocean-pollution-philippines/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic. Accessed 9 Jan. 2020
Devastating tragedy that whales were forced to face due to marine oil spills. This is a prime example of oil covering and killing a whale!
Goldenberg, Suzanne. “US Downplayed Effect of Deepwater Oil Spill on Whales, Emails Reveal.” The Guardian, The Guardian, 24 Oct. 2012, www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/oct/24/whale-death-deepwater-oil-spill. Accessed 9 Jan. 2020.