Japan has suspended its annual whale hunt in the Antarctic for now after a hardline anti-whaling group gave chase to its mother ship and it may call the fleet back home, a government official said.
日本某政府官員日前表示,由于捕鯨船隊母艦受到態(tài)度強硬的反捕鯨團體的追捕,將暫停本年度在南極海域的捕鯨活動,并可能下令捕鯨船隊返航。
Regular attempts by Sea Shepherd Conservation Society to interrupt hunts have caused irritation in Japan, one of only three countries that now hunt whales and where the government says it is an important cultural tradition.
海洋守護者協(xié)會常規(guī)的反捕鯨活動引發(fā)了日本民眾的不滿。目前全球僅有三個國家還在捕鯨,日本是其中之一,而且日本政府表示捕鯨是該國重要的文化傳統(tǒng)。
"Putting safety as a priority, the fleet has halted scientific whaling for now. We are currently considering what to do hereafter," said Tatsuya Nakaoku, an official at the Fisheries Agency.
日本水產(chǎn)廳官員中奧達也說:“為安全起見,捕鯨船隊已暫停了以科研為目的的獵捕。我們正考慮今后怎么辦。”
When asked if Japan was considering bringing back the fleet earlier than planned, he said this remained an option and added that Japan's whaling plans were not going smoothly.
在被問及日本是否會考慮提前結(jié)束捕鯨時,他表示有這種可能,還說日本的捕鯨計劃一直不順。
Representatives for Sea Shepherd were not immediately available for comment.
海洋守護者協(xié)會的代表還沒有對此發(fā)表評論。