Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture Einar K. Gudfinnsson of Iceland

Gudfinnsson has surprised his country's fishing industry by postponing an announcement on the new cod quotas for the coming year.

Mr Gudfinnsson has also promised that measures would be taken to help those communities - mainly isolated fishing towns - worst hit by the impact of any cuts.

Minister of Fisheries Einar K Gudfinnsson has moved up the launching date of the herring research cruise investigating the infection.

Gudfinnsson said the meat from the seven minke whales caught was sold successfully on the local market.

Gudfinnsson is a member of Icelands Independence Party, which governs in coalition with Ingibjorgs SocialDemocrats.

Gudfinnsson said he takes the UN Human Rights Committees verdict seriously, but that many things are unclear.