Conservationists at the International Whaling Commission’s annual meeting won a hollow victory in Ulsan, Korea, this week. While pro-whaling initiatives failed to gain support from the member nations, Japan may nevertheless increase its research whaling a

Japan suffered yet another setback on Thursday in its bid for more whaling when an international commission rejected a plea to allow Japanese coastal communities to hunt whales.

The International Whaling Commission’s annual meeting has ended with the usual impasse between pro- and anti- groups. BBC

Australia hopes Japan will take note of strong international anti-whaling sentiment but still expects Tokyo to look for other ways to restart commercial whaling, Prime Minister John Howard said on Wednesday.

Anti-whaling countries will try to thwart a Japanese-led attempt on Wednesday to abolish a whale sanctuary in the southern seas and condemn Tokyo for continuing to catch the huge mammals in the name of science.

Every year for a decade or so, Ulsan has celebrated its past with a whaling festival in two town parks, one just by the Whale Museum and, now, the Whale Embassy. BBC<

A small chain of restaurants in northern Japan has started serving whale burgers. BBC

The annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) has condemned Japan’s plan to increase the scale of its catches in the name of science. BBC

Police have condemned the behaviour of a group of people who nearly killed a pod of dolphins in Cornwall. BBC

Caribbean and African delegates to the International Whaling Commission have told the BBC they would like to begin commercial whaling. BBC