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The fisheries minister of Iceland says tourism in the country will not suffer as a result of its decision to resume commercial whaling.

Iceland has chosen to begin whaling again after a 21-year ban and although Einar Gudfinnsson admits he expects a negative reaction, he told Reuters he does not anticipate seeing visitor numbers fall.

The government has revealed that it intends to catch nine endangered fin whales and has already snared three.

Despite condemnation from the EU, Australia and Sweden, Mr Gudfinnsson remains upbeat about the effect the decision about whaling will have on the country.

'We were expecting a negative response,' he said. 'But we don't think that other industries, such as tourism, will suffer in the long term. We are not the only nation catching whales.'

Mr Gudfinnsson cites Norway, Japan and the USA as countries that catch whales but have not seen a downturn in visitor numbers.

'Tourism in Norway has not decreased, but is increasing,' the fisheries minister said. 'And since we started scientific whaling in 2003, the tourism industry has been growing.'

Greenpeace says the act of commercial whaling will affect tourism in Iceland and has set up a petition of 85,000 people who say they will "seriously consider" a holiday in the country if the whaling stops.

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