The opposition to whaling is not limited to the EU nor is the EU 'dictating' to Iceland, whatever paranoia the possibility of joining the EU seems to have generated!

The International Whaling Commission is the international body governing commercial whaling and providing for the conservation of whale populations

After decades of commercial whaling, whale populations crashed, and in 1986 the International Whaling Commission, implemented a ban on all commercial whaling.
Iceland did not object to this ban, thereby becoming bound by it.

However, before the commercial ban went into effect, Iceland proposed a program that would allow it to continue whaling through a "scientific" loophole in the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling.
Immediately after the ban went into effect, Iceland converted its commercial industry to this so-called "scientific" whaling program.

Three years later global condemnation led Iceland to end its scientific whaling program

In 1992 frustration over the Commission's efforts to protect whale populations prompted Iceland to leave the commission.

2002 Iceland rejoins IWC and opposed the establishment of a conservation committee in the IWC.


In January 2009, Iceland announced increased quotas for minke and fin whales despite a small domestic market for whale meat
In fact 80 tons of fin whale meat were exported to Japan despite the trade in whale products being restricted under CITES.


Anti-whaling campaigners across the world argue that scientific studies are not currently clear enough to warrant resumption of commercial whaling.

Moreover there are various other issues such as welfare of whales which is beyond the simple matter of conservation.
These issues have global relevance which is not restricted only to whaling and whaling countries

The humane Society notes that 'Iceland's commercial hunts are conducted without any transparency or measures to ensure that quotas are not exceeded.'

But even opinion in Iceland is divided

Icelandic tourism companies have publicly opposed their country's resumption of commercial whaling, citing concerns that it would impact the burgeoning whale-watching industry.