Pro-whaling nations block South Atlantic whale sanctuary

Supporters of the new sanctuary say it would have addressed conservation issues beyond whaling, such as ship strikes

A proposal to create a whale sanctuary in the South Atlantic was defeated at a meeting in Brazil of the International Whaling Commission, amid a clash between countries that think whales can be hunted sustainably and others that want more conservation measures.

Pro-whaling nations, including Japan, Korea, Norway and Russia, argued the science didn't support the case for a sanctuary and said that it wasn't necessary because there isn't any commercial whaling occurring in the South Atlantic.