As the twenty-first century dawns, whales and dolphins are protected by more laws, and in more parts of the world, than at any other time in our history. Whale sanctuaries have been established by individual countries and by international agreement, and include the waters of the Indian Ocean, most of the Southern Ocean, and 12,000,000 square kilometres of the South Pacific. Despite this, more than 2,000 whales - including fin, sperm, Bryde's, sei and minke whales - will be harpooned for commercial markets this year.