Fishing rep: Russian relocation of naval drills ‘like a win in the World Cup’

“FINALLY we can put a smile on our face because this was like a win in the World Cup.”

That was the reaction of Patrick Murphy, CEO of the Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation (ISWFPO), to the news that Russia has agreed to relocate its planned naval drills to outside of Ireland’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Speaking to The Echo, Mr Murphy, who had been part of a delegation which last week met Russian ambassador Yury Filatov, praised the diplomatic efforts of Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence Simon Coveney and Ambassador Filatov.

The Russian drills were to take place later this week approximately 240km off the southwest coast and within Ireland’s EEZ.

Minister Coveney announced on Saturday evening that, following communication with Russian Defence Minister General Sergey Shoygu, the naval drills would now be relocated.

“We can’t praise enough our Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, for doing what he did, because all we did was toss the ball in the air, and he got it, and he ran with it and he scored the touchdown,” Mr Murphy said.

“He was the one, behind the scenes, who must have been as frustrated as hell that he couldn’t say ‘Hey, hang on a second, I’ve written a letter here, I am in communication,’ until he got the result.

“It must have been torture for the poor man that he couldn’t come out because if it went pear-shaped it’d go the wrong way.”

Confirming the decision to relocate the military exercises, the Russian ambassador said it had been made following requests from the Irish Government and from the ISWFPO, which had met the ambassador at the Russian embassy in Dublin on Thursday.

Mr Filatov said the decision was “a gesture of goodwill” with “the aim not to hinder fishing activities by the Irish vessels in the traditional fishing areas.”

Mr Murphy said the ambassador’s mention of the ISWFPO had been “a lovely gesture” and a sign of his decency.

“Look, he’s right, it is a goodwill gesture, and I hope everybody will take it and run with it because it gives us all a bit of solace that hopefully the worst will be averted,” he said.

Mr Murphy said he had been part of the delegation which met with the ambassador last week in an effort to protect Ireland’s fishing industry, which he described as a tough industry and a tough job.

“I don’t think people realise that we could lose this,” he said.

“And we should pause and think about if we didn’t have the fishermen, where would we be, and in years to come we might be damn glad to have a renewable resource like the fishing industry.”

It is not yet known where Russia’s naval exercises, which had been scheduled to begin on Thursday next, February 3, and to last for five days, will now take place, but Minister Coveney said that is now a matter for the Russians to decide on that matter..

“This is a good result for diplomacy,” Mr Coveney said.