A harpoonist takes aim aboard a whaling boat.

Despite what was thought to be a certain defeat for whale protection, anti-whaling nations managed today to hold on to a narrow majority at the International Whaling Commission IWC at its annual meeting in St. Kitts. In an indicator vote on Japan's motion to delete small cetaceans from the agenda anti-whaling nations achieved 32 votes, while pro-whaling nations only achieved 30 votes. There was one abstention.

Speaking on behalf of the Whalewatch coalition, Major General Peter Davies, Director General of the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) stated: “We have shown that even when faced with the greatest of challenges, the welfare and protection of whales can still persevere.
But the world must wake up from its deep slumber – the world's whales and their welfare remain
hanging in the balance. Governments must now fight fiercely to prevent a hostile take over by the
pro-whaling nations.”