We already have Sea fishing exclusion zones around the UK. The first one that comes to my mind is the Bass nursery in the Helford river, here in Cornwall. To the best of my knowledge, this area prevents you taking Bass from a boat to allow fish stock numbers to increase.

I have also read that there is discussion about creating a 1 mile exclusion zone around the UK for commercial fishing boats. The effect of a ban like this would be two fold. Firstly the underwater environment would start to heal, habitats would flourish and this would encourage stocks of prey animals. The secondary effect would mean fish stocks could re-group and numbers build. The other environmental impact would be conservation of the hidden depths of our shoreline. It seems in my sceptical mind that money is invested in the disasters we can see - hedgerows, moor-land, wooded areas etc, but little or none in the areas we can’t see!

Many areas around the world have sporting sea angling, with high populations of fish attracting sports fishermen with big money to the their shores in order to enjoy top quality angling. Looking around Cornwall, I see money being invested in beaches to improve the facilities for the surfers and bathers. Estuaries and ports have huge investments of cash providing facilities for small boat users. Even birders have hides and wetlands created so there visual quarry can be seen more easily and the bird numbers are more plentiful. Why is this not happening for anglers?

I realise the best solution is a global one, but we could start to do things to improve our fish populations and make the UK seas into a desirable sports fishery. Investment into the sport would snowball and more and more money would come back in return. There would have to be a lot of changes and the sea angling licence would be one way of getting that initial money. Maybe would could police it in some way with voluntary wardens who could check licences and bag limits and report those who break the rules to the authorities - Just a though!!

Let me know your thoughts on creating a viable sports fishery here in the UK