Focusing on Common Ground (or water)
There’s a growing trend bubbling under the radar that brings me great hope. It is a trend where diverse interests are coming together for the good of our coastal communities and marine resources. I am hopeful that we are seeing the slow demise of singular-focused groups with finite vision charging up the mountain with an “all or nothing” battle cry. Groups that latch onto one way of viewing our relationship with nature that is more often than not akin to the way one would experience either a museum (look, but don’t touch) or a distant uncle (it doesn’t matter).
Two groups in particular excite me.
The coastal Marine Resource Committees (MRC) (specifically the Grays Harbor MRC) and the CoastSavers.
I’ve recently had the opportunity to meet with both groups. They share a unique and promising approach to marine management that is best described with a single word:
Partnership.
There have been a number of strong leaders in the past, from Harry S. Truman and General George C. Marshall, to John Wooden and Ronald Reagan, who have uttered some form of the idea that: You can accomplish much if you don’t care who gets the credit.
Both of these groups share that vision. Where the mission is greater that the players involved.
The mission is to effectively manage and protect our natural marine environment without denying the economic and cultural importance of our oceans and our coastal communities. With that in mind, the players need to reflect more than simply conservation interests. And certainly a whole lot more than apathy. To that end, both the MRC and the CoastSavers have worked hard to reach out to diverse interests which include:
- recreational fishermen
- commercial fishermen
- tribal interests
- state agencies
- environmental NGOs
- members of the community
- local business
- parks and recreation
- education leaders
Bringing these diverse groups together with an approach that embraces the notion that we need to set aside the 80 percent we don’t agree on and focus on the 20 percent we do agree on is (surprise, surprise) actually getting things done.
Because no single stakeholder cares about getting the glory, there is very little chest pounding or grand standing. There is simply a sense of coming together and doing the work that needs to be done to better manage our resources while still embracing economic opportunity. And everyone can bring their unique expertise and perspective to the table.
It doesn’t work anymore to play the blame game. It doesn’t work anymore to focus any energy on finding a “bad guy.” The environmental battle doesn’t belong in a courtroom. It belongs around a table with honest discussion and a strategy for success. We need to focus on solutions, not problems.
And these groups, both of which are only a couple years old, are doing just that. I’ve only in the past few months had the opportunity to do some collaborative work with them as a representative of the commercial fishing industry and I’m beyond enthusiastic to see where we can grow our partnerships and our impact on marine resource management in the future. It’s a true privilege to be able to come along side their great efforts and enjoy a sense of true partnership.
It’s almost impossible to not at the same time get hopeful that this anti-partisanship/pro-partnership approach that is clearly growing on a community level will trickle up to our leaders in politics. There is a seachange in how we go about getting things done. And there’s no room for finger pointing if your hands are too busy getting dirty doing actual work.
