Russia, China block plans for Antarctic marine protections

By NICK PERRY
Associated Press

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Russia and China have again blocked plans supported by the European Union, the United States and 23 other nations to protect three vast stretches of ocean around Antarctica from most fishing. But conservationists said there were some positives from a two-week international meeting on the future of Antarctica’s pristine waters that concluded in Australia late Friday. Those included an agreement on new protections for krill fishing and a commitment to meet in Chile next year to further discuss the proposal for the new marine protected areas, which combined would cover a swath of ocean larger than India.