李明娟

Japan has resumed commercial whaling after a break of over three decades. Commercial whaling was banned in 1986 by an International Whaling Commission （IWC） moratorium1. However， Japan withdrew2 from the IWC in December. Japans government has promised all whalers will stay within 320 kilometers from its coast. The Japanese fisheries agency set a quota3 for killing 227 whales every six months. In the first days of resumed4 whaling， whalers caught two minke5 whales， which were taken to the northern port6 of Kushiro. The whale meat was auctioned7 in Tokyo and sold for record prices. Restaurant owners snapped8 up the meat at prices of up to $140 per kilo.

經(jīng)過三十多年的中斷，日本已恢復(fù)商業(yè)捕鯨活動。1986年，國際捕鯨委員會（IWC）禁止商業(yè)捕鯨。但是，日本在12月退出了國際捕鯨委員會。日本政府已承諾所有捕鯨者將留在距其海岸320公里的范圍內(nèi)。日本漁業(yè)局設(shè)定了每六個月捕殺227頭鯨的配額。在恢復(fù)捕鯨的最初幾天，捕鯨者捕獲了兩只小須鯨，這些小須鯨被帶到釧路北部港口。鯨肉在東京進(jìn)行拍賣，并以創(chuàng)紀(jì)錄的價(jià)格出售。餐館老板們以每公斤140美元的價(jià)格搶購鯨肉。

Japan has engaged in the practice of whaling for centuries. Whale restaurant chef Mitsuo Tani summed9 up why he thought the return of commercial whaling was important. He said， “A country that does not protect its food culture has no future.” He also promoted10 the health benefits11 of whale meat. He said， “It is five times lower in calories than beef， 10 times lower in cholesterol12， two times less fat than chicken and its packed with iron. But abroad， people do not know this.” However， Japans return to whaling has brought international outcry. The Humane Society accused13 Japan of starting a “new and shocking era of pirate14 whaling”. It added， “This is a sad day for whale protection globally.”

幾個世紀(jì)以來，日本一直從事捕鯨活動。鯨魚餐廳廚師谷光夫總結(jié)了為什么他認(rèn)為商業(yè)捕鯨的回歸很重要。他說：“一個不保護(hù)其飲食文化的國家沒有未來?！彼€宣傳了鯨肉的健康價(jià)值。他說：“它的熱量比牛肉低五倍，膽固醇低十倍，脂肪比雞肉低兩倍，而且富含鐵。但在國外，人們不知道這一點(diǎn)?！比欢?，日本重啟捕鯨活動引起了國際社會的強(qiáng)烈抗議。（美國）人道主義協(xié)會指責(zé)日本開始了一個“新的、令人震驚的海盜捕鯨時代”，它還說道：“這是全球鯨魚保護(hù)的可悲的一天。”

摘自： breakingnewsenglish.com