BBC News | In Pictures
Whaling debate - key species
Sei whale
The sleek, slender Sei whale became a target for whalers in the 1960s when blue, fin and humpback whale stocks began declining. More than 200,000 were killed in the 20th Century, more than half of them in a period of 12 years.
In 2002 Japan revealed plans to catch 50 a year for scientific research. Japan says there are more than 28,000 in the north Pacific - WWF says there are about 9,000.
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Introduction
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