The conservationists in the 57-member body thwarted an attempt by a determined coalition of pro-whaling states to move ahead more quickly on a disputed management plan, which needs to be in place before a return to IWC-regulated whaling.

They blocked a move to have the controversial plan ready in time for adoption at next year's meeting in Pusan, Korea.

"It does bring commercial whaling closer, but it is a small step, and not the big step that Japan wanted," said Susan Lieberman, Global Species Director for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

Japan, the world's biggest market for whale meat, expressed "dissatisfaction" over the outcome of the meeting.

Tokyo's commissioner Minoru Morimoto said the result had "heightened our concern about the future relevance of the IWC for Japan".

"However, Japan is willing to make every effort towards the resumption of whaling under a reasonable RMS."

The United States had earlier drawn an angry reaction for US animal rights groups when it threw its weight behind a resolution co-sponsored by pro-whaling states Japan and Iceland designed to win majority support for the so called Revised Management Scheme (RMS).

The plan, circulated to IWC commissioners last week by Danish chairman Henrik Fischer, recognises the need to lift the 18-year moratorium and calls for a phased resumption of commercial whaling.

Fischer said a phased resumption of worldwide whaling was vital to restore the credibility of the dispute-wracked body, particularly given an annual increase in whaling -- by Japan, Iceland and Norway -- despite the moratorium.

Pro-whaling states say adoption of the RMS would mean an automatic lifting of the ban, but US commissioner William Hogarth denied the Washington would accept any link between the two.

"The US will not agree to the lifting of the moratorium," he told journalists after the meeting.

"The US position has not changed. We oppose commercial whaling. We have serious concerns about the scientific whaling that is taking place because it is basically a commercial endeavour," said Hogarth.

"We may not be able to agree with anything in the RMS in the end but we have to use it as the basis for further discussion and move forward," he added.

However, he said the ICW would use Fischer's plan "as the basis for further discussion".

Fischer -- absent though illness from Sorrento -- convened a mixed seven-nation working group last year to come up with the plan, but staunchly anti-whaling southern hemisphere states like Australia and New Zealand were left out.

With the support of around 20 other nations, they thrashed out an amendment to the plan on Thursday which will see a broader participation in the working groups tasked with preparing it for next year's meeting, and ensured that its adoption will not be forced through.

"It doesn't have to be adopted at next year's meeting," said a relieved Lieberman, whose organisation will be able to participate in the working group meetings along with other non-governmental organisations -- a concession won in late-night negotiations with the US.

"A bad RMS is worse than no RMS. What we need is an RMS that is iron-clad in terms of enforcement. If we are ever to return to worldwide commercial whaling, we need strict compliance and enforcement provisions and no automatic lifting of the moratorium.

TERRA.WIRE