Following the news that broke last weekend that Russia will conduct missile tests in Ireland’s exclusive economic zone, the Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation said that some of its members plan to peacefully disrupt the military exercise.
Speaking to RTÉ, Patrick Murphy of the fishing organisation said the area is “very important” for fishermen, and explained that they want to protect biodiversity and marine life.
Politicians on all sides in Ireland have weighed in to criticise Russia’s plans for the missile tests. Responding to the controversy, Russia’s ambassador to Ireland said that the political reaction was “hugely overblown”.
Speaking at a press conference in the Russian Embassy in Dublin, Ambassador Yury Filatov said the exercise was “not in any way a threat to Ireland or anybody else.”
Patrick Murphy of the Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland that the area where Russian Navy ships will be staging is highly important for fishing.
Murphy said that there are currently half a billion tonnes of blue whiting in the area, which will move up along the Irish coast.
“That’s a one million tonne fishery, not just for ourselves but for the Russian fleet as well too,” he said.
“So there’s fierce risks in this. We feel that this is serious,” Murphy added.
The fishing boss speculated that if Russia “were applying to go onto the mainland of Ireland to go launching rockets, how far would they get with that?”
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https://www.buzz.ie/news/irish-news/russia-missile-tests-ireland-trawlers-26042018