Japan and Norway blocked an International Whaling Commission resolution that would give the United Nations greater authority over whaling, a controversial practice that is still protected by both nations.

"Species issues in general are not a matter for the General Assembly but for competent fisheries agencies," Norway's representative to the IWC, Ole-David Stenseth, said at a commission meeting in Panama City on Friday.

Frederic Briand of Monaco, sponsor of the resolution, said "a great part [of U.N. members] share our concern that the stocks of highly migratory animals should be taken care of in coordination among all concerned countries," according to Agence France-Presse.

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