The Golden Mile

It’s not guns that change the world, it’s ideas.

When an idea captures the imagination in a way that grabs attention, that idea is hard to stop spreading, and is hard to kill.

Even those that feel threatened by the changes that a new idea promises, cannot but help spread that idea by opposing it.

First used by anglers to describe the close inshore area that is so important to so many anglers, the phrase can now be read in documents produced by environmental NGOs, by DEFRA and even by the NFFO.

And yet an idea is never as simple as it first starts out.

‘A complete ban on all commercial fishing within 1 mile of the shore’ soon becomes confused by questions such as ‘Low water or high water mark’, ‘What about drying banks exposed miles out at certain low tides?’

‘What about commercial fishing that does no harm to fish stocks, for example potting and cockling?’ ‘What about environmentally friendly hook and line fisheries?’

And so definition and implementation planning becomes increasingly complex.

And yet, the simple idea refuses to die, even if temporarily stymied by seemingly insurmountable yet crumbling hurdles of self-interest, and politics and a baggage of mindsets and culture that cannot cope with envisaging fundamental change.

Once an idea has taken a life of it’s own, it can become unstoppable.

Under the Heading ‘Angling Fears’ a recent newsletter produced by the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations (NFFO) stated:

“The NFFO and its members will have the opportunity to respond and contribute to a Defra consultation document on the future development of the UK sea angling industry.

An initial draft outlining priorities from the angling sector contained a number of proposals that are unacceptable to the commercial fishing industry.

These include a proposal for a ‘golden mile’ where commercial fishing activity would not be allowed within a mile of the shoreline.”

It seems that the NFFO at least are taking the idea seriously.

And DEFRA, who will be responsible for delivering the Golden Mile proposals (if they are tasked with that) are not usually favourable towards ideas that might provoke conflict amongst their ‘stakeholder’ groups (especially if it might upset the more powerful groups, or which might rock the status quo).

So, if the idea of a Golden Mile has captured your imagination, and you don’t want to see the idea quashed before it has half a chance of delivering benefits, you need to put pen to paper and write to you MP, asking them to take up the issue with the fisheries minister on your behalf. (You can get details of your MP, and even drop him an email from http://www.theyworkforyou.com )

If you want to know more about the Golden Mile, this link will take you there: http://www.sacn.org.uk/Articles/The_Golden_Mile.html

Oh! And get your friends to do the same.

Because ideas are all very well, but it takes action and political will to bring them about within a reasonable time, and that can only come from you.