Angling trust calls for otter cull

[Picidae]

Originally Posted by Ukwildlifeo

Why its not an official statement (the angling trust have asked the times for a retractment), more the views of one annoyed member, the comments on the story make alarming reading. .

I agree. Suggesting that otters should be kept in 'fenced in'' areas so that fish in the rest of the waterways aren't predated just speaks volumns to me about the relationship that some Anglers have with wildlife!!

[Picidae]

Originally Posted by RobinP

Could the problem be Mink not Otter? I wouldn't rely on any member of the angling fraternity to tell the difference.

That's what I was thinking Robin!!!

[pressld2]

Originally Posted by Picidae

Yes it's true. Otters were all but extinct in the south of England and there was a reintroduction programme started back in the '80s

Thanks Picidae! I wasn't aware of that.

On the subject of mink, did you see the comment that "At Anglers Paradise in Devon, the owner has seen a rise in the number of these endangered mammals [water voles] through his own careful management of the environment." Nothing to do with growing otter numbers driving out the mink then?

Dave P.

[davejg]

Robin & picadae, you would be wrong, most of us can tell the difference well enough. Mink are not often the problem in this case, although if certain eco idiots had not let them out a lot of widlife would be better off. Otters have taken afew known big fish on certain rivers, that in turn has wound up a few influencial people & the AT have fallen for it. As with birds of prey certain anglers see an otter then then when a big known fish disappears it must be the otters (often its old age). like sheep farmers blaming eagles, it can't be disproved very easily. Rivers Are not overstocked only commercial Lakes\ponds, again looks good on an insurance claim.

[Johnny Redgate]

Originally Posted by davejg

Mink are not often the problem in this case, although if certain eco idiots had not let them out a lot of widlife would be better off. (

Come on Dave, don't get me started on the difference between ecological/ecologist and environmental/environmentalist. In any case it was animal rights idiots who let the mink out. I do agree it would be better if they hadn't been.

[Ukwildlifeo]

Originally Posted by Johnny Redgate

Come on Dave, don't get me started on the difference between ecological/ecologist and environmental/environmentalist. In any case it was animal rights idiots who let the mink out. I do agree it would be better if they hadn't been.

At the risk of going off subject the mink were already in the countryside, with there having been many escapes from fur farms (the same thing caused the coypu invasion in norfolk). That said the animal rights idiots certainly didnt help matters to put it mildly.

Back on the subject of otters, although some were released in the South East, form what i read this morning there hasn't been any released for quite a while as it seem they don't need our help.

[diggleken]

I believe they are spreading quite well in England and Wales, but gradually, even making it into cities such as Manchester.
Philip Ware and the Otter trust in East Anglia did brilliant work 20 odd years ago to help them spread from only a couple of good otter places, I think Suffolk/Norfolk and West Country, even though Scotland had and has a strong seaside/island population.
Anglers are often very clued up on wildlife, they need to be to fish successfully - its not fair to tar them all with the same brush, although I understand the deep annoyance! You can learn a lot from talking to a knowledgable angler.
We cant let disaster strike Otters again though.
Cheers
Ken

[Simon Vicos]

Otters have a place in the food chain, as an angler I am delighted when I see one, they are a beautiful creature, however, they have been released into some areas and gone on the rampage decimating fish stocks as they go

Why can't they just eat Signal Crayfish?

We'd all be happy then

[Meta menardi]

Originally Posted by Simon Vicos

Otters have a place in the food chain, as an angler I am delighted when I see one, they are a beautiful creature, however, they have been released into some areas and gone on the rampage decimating fish stocks as they go

Why can't they just eat Signal Crayfish?

We'd all be happy then

You are right about the crayfish!
When they are in an area where they decimate stocks, perhaps this is something that will find a balance in time? It's sort of like trees, we all want them to grace our environment, but can I cut down the one that shades my polytunnel?

[Ukwildlifeo]

Originally Posted by Simon Vicos

Otters have a place in the food chain, as an angler I am delighted when I see one, they are a beautiful creature, however, they have been released into some areas and gone on the rampage decimating fish stocks as they go

Why can't they just eat Signal Crayfish?

We'd all be happy then

I think this releasing of otters has been over stated. The otter trust reintroduced them into areas where they we very low in number. The official site appears to be down, but I found this article. The man who saved Britain's otters - Telegraph
I know its hardly a peer reviewed source but it looks like the journo has just parroted what he was told. It states:

the Otter Trust otters have been released in Suffolk, Norfolk, Northants, Rutland, Hampshire, Dorset, Bedfordshire, Essex, Wiltshire, Cambridgeshire and the Upper Thames.

And

Following the release of 117 animals between 1983 and 1999, the population is booming

I pretty sure the otter population is still recovering and all these accusations of otter being at high level because of releases is basically nonsense. I remember reading that otters are still well below their natural levels before hunting and pollution nearly wiped them out.

The main problem is these fisheries were set up when there were no otters and so have no predator defences ie fencing. There is a guide for fisheries produced by one of the wildlife trusts which recommends the use fish refuges, which would also help with cormorants.

A chat with a local angler revealeled that many of these lakes are overstocked with carp which are bred to feed all year round and so the aquatic plants are pretty much absent from the lake. These then means the fish have no where to hide when a predator arrives.

So perhaps some of these fisheries at least should look into their management rather than blame the otter.

And while on the subject of otters, I wish some anglers would stop trying to claim the otter recovery has caused the decline in eels - sheer stupidity, it just gives the decent anglers a bad name!