South Atlantic whale sanctuary proposal rejected again
The International Whaling Commission failed to secure the required three-quarters majority for the proposal in Hobart.
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The International Whaling Commission has again failed to establish a protected whale sanctuary in the South Atlantic Ocean. The proposal from Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay did not receive the required three-quarters majority.
The proposal was on the agenda during the commission’s seventieth meeting in Hobart, Australia. The initiators wanted to establish a large protected area in the South Atlantic Ocean. That area would connect with existing protection around Antarctica and focus on the conservation and management of whale populations.
A majority of 75 per cent is required to amend the formal IWC Regulations. Greenpeace reported afterwards that 45 votes were needed and that the proposal fell six votes short. The international commission itself has not yet published the voting result in a full final report; we are therefore reporting the exact outcome with that source attribution.
The proposal is not new. South American countries have been putting it forward for years. In 2024, it reportedly fell one vote short, according to an account of the previous meeting. Earlier attempts likewise foundered because of divisions between countries that emphasise protection and countries that defend traditional whaling or a different interpretation of the IWC’s role.
The failed vote does not mean that no protection exists in the area. Commercial whaling has already been restricted by an international moratorium for decades, and a separate protection regime applies around Antarctica. A new South Atlantic sanctuary would, however, expand those existing measures geographically and give them institutional backing.
The debate now concerns more than hunting. The IWC also identifies bycatch, collisions with ships, entanglement in fishing gear, underwater noise, climate change and krill fishing as threats. A sanctuary would not automatically solve all those problems, but it could guide research, shipping measures and regional cooperation.
Opponents of the proposal therefore retain the ability to block it within the commission for the time being. Supporters can resubmit the plan, but would then again have to persuade enough countries. The outcome above all shows that international nature protection remains dependent on voting rules, the attendance of delegations and agreement between countries with divergent economic and political interests.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The IWC considered a proposal for a whale sanctuary in the South Atlantic Ocean.
- A three-quarters majority is required to amend the IWC Regulations.
- The proposal did not secure that majority.
- Alongside whaling, the IWC discusses bycatch, ship collisions, noise and climate-related threats.
Left
Arguments The commission should put nature protection first and establish a sanctuary, even if some countries have commercial or geopolitical objections. According to this approach, international protection prevents responsibility from becoming fragmented.
Values Biodiversity, precaution and ecosystem protection above short-term interests.
Consequences A sanctuary could strengthen cooperation and enforcement; postponement leaves an important ocean area without a coherent protection framework.
Centre
Arguments A compromise-oriented approach seeks to expand protection, but with scientific backing, workable rules and consultation with coastal states and fishing sectors. The IWC must keep its decision-making workable.
Values Scientific backing, feasibility and international consensus.
Consequences A step-by-step approach may bring more countries on board, but makes rapid protection dependent on lengthy negotiations.
Right
Arguments This approach emphasises that international organisations should not expand their mandate without limit. Protective measures should take account of national economic interests, fishing, food supplies and the sovereignty of coastal states.
Values National control, economic freedom and restraint in international regulation.
Consequences Greater room for national choices may increase support, but could lead to fragmented protection and less effective international standards.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved with corrections · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The policy agenda, location and required voting threshold have been confirmed by the IWC and independent reporting. The exact margin of six votes comes from Greenpeace and is therefore presented as source-based information.
- confirmed The IWC met in Hobart from late September to 2 October 2026. — The official IWC agenda names Hobart and the meeting dates. source
- confirmed The proposal concerned a South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary from Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. — The IWC agenda and Greenpeace name these initiators. source
- confirmed A three-quarters majority was required for the proposal. — The IWC’s regulatory procedure requires 75 per cent for an amendment to the Schedule. source
- uncertain The proposal fell six votes short. — This is stated in the Greenpeace announcement; the official final report had not yet been published. source
1 correction(s) applied
- Was: The IWC rejected the proposal by six votes.Now: According to Greenpeace, the proposal fell six votes short; the IWC’s official final report was not yet available. (The independent source confirms the outcome, but the exact margin had not yet been published by the IWC itself.)
Editor's note
The meeting, the proposal and the required three-quarters majority have been confirmed by the IWC. The precise vote distribution currently comes from Greenpeace; the commission’s official final report was not yet available.Sources
- IWC70 Meeting – Day Four — International Whaling Commission
- IWC70: Biennial Commission Meeting — International Whaling Commission
- Greenpeace zu den Ergebnissen der IWC-Konferenz in Hobart — Greenpeace
- International Whaling Commission to discuss continued threats to whales — ABC News Australia
More on this in Dutch media
- Trouw — „walvissen zuid-atlantische oceaan”
- RTL Nieuws — „walvissen zuid-atlantische oceaan”
- FD — „walvissen zuid-atlantische oceaan”