Antarctic ocean sanctuary talks end in failure
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Buy SPH photosSYDNEY (AFP) - An international conference has failed to agree on new marine sanctuaries to protect thousands of polar species across Antarctica, sparking condemnation on Friday from conservation groups.
Two-week-long talks at the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) at Hobart in Australia wrapped up late on Thursday without resolution.
CCAMLR, made up of 24 countries and the European Union, had been considering proposals for two critical areas in Antarctica's Southern Ocean.
Blocking countries reportedly included key fishing nations, with China, Japan, South Korea and Russia among them.
