Fishermen object to French military exercises off Irish coast

West Cork fishermen are to take action against a proposed French military exercise due to take place off the Irish coast from June 23rd-25th.

A marine notice was issued by the Department of Transport on Friday, warning vessels and crew of “safety risks” associated with the exercise, which will involve the firing of missiles and rockets.

The department said it had been informed about the exercise by the Irish Aviation Authority. It will take place off the southern coast, outside Irish territorial waters, but within the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone, which is patrolled by the Irish Naval Service.

The fishermen of the Irish South & West Fish Producers Organisation, based in Castletownbere, said they were “formulating a plan of action” to prevent “potential catastrophic environmental damage” from the proposed French exercise.

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Patrick Murphy, the organisation’s chief executive, said military sonar and live missile launches had the potential to “severely disrupt” the annual migratory path of fish and “dramatically interrupt the breeding season” of mackerel and other migratory fish species.

“The albacore tuna fishery is opening for Irish vessels on June 23rd in the waters of our continental shelf, which could potentially be disrupted by these live-fire exercises, whilst also we believe this will cause untold damage to marine wildlife like whales and dolphins that are greatly affected by underwater noise.

Fishermen would be considering “any course of action that may disrupt these French military exercises”, he said.

“It is our understanding that live-fire exercises cannot take place if our vessels are engaged in fishing in the area, so we are discussing a plan with our vessel-owners and skippers aimed at once again carrying out a peaceful protest in our traditional fishing areas near the proposed area of the military exercise.”

Earlier this year, there were protests when the Russian navy announced it would carry out exercises in the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone.

Those exercises were subsequently moved out of the zone, after fishermen voiced concerns to the Russian ambassador, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs wrote to the Russian minister of defence.