Despite a 24-year moratorium on commercial whaling, Japan, Iceland and Norway use loopholes in the rules to continue hunting.
About 1,500 whales are killed every year.
The International Whaling Commission, meeting in Morocco, has been trying to strike a compromise that would allow some commercial hunting, but limit the number of whales killed.
However, commission members said they are deadlocked, so there will be no deal this year.
