The sei whale has instrumental value, as it is extremely important to both marine habitats and humans.

 

The cultural significance of the sei whale has a very heavy and spiritual meaning to some people, mainly the Native American Makah Tribe (Makah Whaling & Whale Hunt, 2019).

 

Whales have been held very highly in their culture, dating back to over two thousand years ago. They were able to live in harmony with the whales. They had a tradition to use all parts of the whale (including the oil, meat, bone, sinew, and even the gut for storage containers) in order not to waste any of it.

 

Whale hunting provided a purpose for the Native American Tribes; it supplies discipline and the Makah Tribe’s entire community is affected by the spiritual killing of a whale.

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The sei whale not only has instrumental value, but it also has intrinsic value, a right to live, no matter its (or any other animal's) value to humans (Miller, 2015).​