Otters 2009

[camo]

Hi

This thread has been started as I end up talking about Otters on everyone elses threads and is for anyone who wants to tell us what possibly Britains favourite mammal is upto.

In my local Bedfordshire I am getting lots of positive indications that Otters are on the increase. Everyday out i get new spraints, often find footprints, know where several slides are and have some definite transition runs. Recently an abandoned pup, (cub or kit depending on where you live) was found and taken to a rescue centre which confirmed breeding on the River Ouse.

However everything is not roses, over the weekend I heard of a local fishing lake that is very close to the river Ouse (5 metres) has lost 5 or 6 speciman fish. The largest was a 40lb Carp and they clearly are very expensive fish. The local paper had headlines in the sports page of Otter killing these fish and the fishing club has a link to pictures of the half eaten fish. I do not doubt that there will be increased pressure on Otters and I really fear the repercussions. I hope the two local wildlife groups are in discussion with the fishing club as to defending the lake from future raids and I will contact them tomorrow to offer any assistance. There have been Otters in the river for many years and the lake was only formed in the last 15 years so it is totally unjust if any Otters suffer because of these incidents however for Otters to continue to prosper we need to keep open communications with Fisherman who will clearly see their sport being affected by increasing numbers of Otters.

Back to the thread I spotted several new spraints today and also a veritable motorway of footprints in an drainage ditch, i appreciate you cannot see the indivdual prints as this was taken at an angle.

Roy

[Mungo]

I will watch this thread with interest Roy.
I hope something can be sorted out with the fishery.

[Rich_]

Will the necessary research have been done thoroughly to ensure the system will support the numbers of otters reintroduced I wonder? If there are not enough fish in the natural habitats the otter will have to hunt elsewhere.

Like most anglers I love to watch wild otters which are after all part of our natural fauna, but things have changed in the rivers & natural lakes since before the otters decline. One of their favourite meals ,the eel has drastically diminished in numbers & other predators have increased to fill the gap like cormorants on inland waters. Goosanders seem more numerous now too. The otter may be finding it hard to get enough feed in the rivers?

[camo]

Hi Rich

A river eco system is better for a native top predator, Otters belong in our rivers and have been present for hundreds of years. Reintroduction of Otters across the country has been carefully considerred and generally succesful. As Otters retake their rightful place they are pushing out imports such as Mink which in turn allows our native species (such as Water Voles) to co-exist.

If you dig a lake within metres of a river containing Otters and you stock it with Spanish Carp bred to be bigger and slower, then feed them on high protein food until they form giant bellies there are bound to be losses. However putting that apart I appreciate the cost and efforts put into managing any fishery and would seek to find a solution to avoid fishermen taking matters into their own hands.

Roy

[momji1971]

Think it could be the press to blame on this one. Do anglers think an Otter would really attack a 3-4ft fish that is about 2ft wide? A 40lb carp would be about six times size of an otter. I've seen 30-40lb carp and there is no way! Bizzarre!

Great british press strikes again and the tabloid reader dimwits take it in!

stu.

[camo]

Originally Posted by momji1971

Think it could be the press to blame on this one. Do anglers think an Otter would really attack a 3-4ft fish that is about 2ft wide? A 40lb carp would be about six times size of an otter. I've seen 30-40lb carp and there is no way! Bizzarre!

Great british press strikes again and the tabloid reader dimwits take it in!

stu.

Hi stu

That would be my feeling and I have considerred whether the fish died over the winter period and the Otter dragged their carcase out. I do not doubt an Otter fed off the fish but like you i remain to be convinced they would have killed a 40 lb Carp. However the problem here is that the club and its members genuinely believe Otters have killed the fish so the damage has been done. In marketing there is a saying that perceived is truth therefore no matter what the truth about their deaths is the fisherman will believe it is Otters.

Roy

[camo]

Hi

I have today been ringing around to find out a little more about waht actually happened with the Willington Carp.

In the first place i am pleased to say that the fishing club were very proactive and contacted local Otter experts very early. Post mortums were not carried out but it looks as though a single Male Otter has taken the Carp whilst they have been in a semi torbid state. Whilst Carp do not hibernate they do slow down during winter and are a much easier target. I understand the fishing club are working with the local group and are considering 2 strategies including either a more substantial fence or accepting the loss of sacrificial fish. As the weather gets warmer Carp will be more active and less of a target.

On a sadder note I think this may be the tip of an iceberg as when I checked out a couple of National fishing forums (I hasten to add not connected with the local fishing club involved) I found a lot of hostility. There were posts suggesting the laying of Fenn traps, other members suggesting taking guns with them and a general anger at the reintroduction programme. To offer a fair view there were also many members on the same forums that were openly opposed to such illegal actions and quickly reminded such posters that Otters are here to stay. Although the focus was on the Willington Carp many other examples were quoted where there is a feeling that Otter reintroduction is affecting the local fish stocks.

Locally after speaking to the appropriate people I am a little more comfortable about repercussions however I think nationally this is the start of a long fight. To my mind it is crucial that Fishermen and naturalists (often the same people) continue to work together to ensure Otters retake their rightful place as the top river predator whilst co existing with the increase in commercial fisheries.

Roy

[Hobjob]

Originally Posted by Rich_

Will the necessary research have been done thoroughly to ensure the system will support the numbers of otters reintroduced I wonder? If there are not enough fish in the natural habitats the otter will have to hunt elsewhere.

I think so.

It was a very carefully managed re-introduction, with I think three
breeding sites. Earsham-Bungay suffolk-Norfolk border, Tamar and
Bowes, Co Durham.

The otter trust at Earsham-Bungay first released in 1981, and last released,
its 117th otter, in 1999 - the East Anglian spread was deemed to
be complete. So they have now had ten years to stabilize their
population.

The WAB meet at Minsmere in 2008 was priviledged to see a family playing
in the pool below bittern hide.

They have been shown to reduce the numbers of mink - and mink are one of
those animals that will kill for "pleasure".

I don't know if the other sites are still releasing - Anyone know?

[camo]

Hi HJ

The Otter Trust working for the renamed as English Nature reintroduced 117 Otters across the country and closed their reintroduction programme in 1999.

In Bedfordshire we have benefitted from 2 reintroductions. The first was in 1995 when 4 Otters (2 Males and 2 Females) where introduced on the River Great Ouse. The second was in 1998 a further 6 Otters (2 Males and 4 Females) were introduced on the River Ivel. As the average lifespan of an Otter in the wild is thought to be about 8 years all existing Otters will be either 1st, 2nd or 3rd generations from the original reintroductions. Clearly the Otter reintroduction has been a success and the Otter Trust's responsible actions are obvious by their own self regulation and eventual (in 1999) closure of their breeding establishment. I am completly confident that every reintroduction was well planned and organised through local organisations.

One issue not mentioned is the explosion of new commercial fisheries and a subtle change of fisherman focus from rivers with mixed species to a concentration on enourmous Carp and Barbel. Fishing is now often about catching a named and known fish that will have grown from the large amount of high protein food used in the lakes. When such a fish is lost it may have been caught by numbers of the club fisherman and there is clearly affection for what is close to being a pet.

Roy

[camo]

Hi HJ

I am sorry I repeated some of your post I must learn to read posts more thoroughly.

Roy