Portoroz — Whaling nations defeated a renewed bid on Tuesday by southern hemisphere countries to create an Atlantic sanctuary for the marine mammals hunted to near extinction in the 20th century. A proposal by Argentina, Brazil, Gabon, SA and Uruguay, which needed a 75% majority, mustered only 38 votes in favour with 24 against at an International Whaling Commission meeting, an outcome lamented by conservationists. Opposing were whalers Japan, Norway and Iceland, backed by some African, Asian and island nations. "With all the problems currently facing whale populations that have previously been devastated by commercial whaling, it is clear they need a protected zone where they will be able not just to survive, but to rebuild and thrive," said Greenpeace whale expert John Frizell. "What is the most disappointing is that all these efforts are ultimately being undermined by IWC member countries (which) are thousands of miles away, not even in the southern hemisphere and some even on th...
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