Angling trust calls for otter cull

[Ukwildlifeo]

Anyone else seen this story? No sooner otters have just begun to recover, the angling trust want them culled!
Angling Trust calls for cull of otters eating too much fish - Times Online

First they wanted cormorants culled (and to some extent got it) now otters, what next Ospreys!? Sea Eagles!? Kingfishers!? Perhaps a blanket cull of anything that eats fish will keep them happy?

I can only guess this is another case of the people in charge of an organisation not representing the real view of it members

[Picidae]

Bl***y hell - here we go again!

I sometimes wonder if people want to dispose of wildlife altogether and live in a congrete jungles separated only by factory farmed food and just enough green space to keep animals that can be hunted/fished/or shot.

No doubt there will be a consultation with Defra who will then allow them a licence to take a quota when there is a 'threat' to their livelyhoods.

[Ukwildlifeo]

A read around and it turns out the times were using a 'journalistic license' on a letter from a member who didn't use the word cull BUT has said something needs to be done. He seems to be in favour of steralisation or disrupting breeding some how though: which sound much easier than putting up otter proof fencing Its on the Angling trust forum Otter predation

[Moonmoth]

My vote goes for Sterilisation of the Angling community !

[Dogghound]

Why carnt we all just get along . I carnt believe this. The reality is disease through over stocked fisheries, poor habitat management, pollution all have a larger affect.

Culling otters would unlikely fix anything as populations are high and by doing this in a given area would result in others moving into the new territory so small scale culling is pointless all it would do is create a new home range.

[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. But I still don't think the majority of anglers what otter culled or their numbers controlled.
The chap that wrote the origianl letter seems to dismisses the use of fencing because it will "just send the problem elsewhere" - what like a natural river!? Makes me wonder if he has any fish refuges in his lake.

[Billy Wobble Dagger]

Is it not true that the reason that there are so many otters now is that the rivers are over stocked with fish by the angling community? Because the anglers expect to catch something every time the companies over stock the rivers lakes etc. Where once otters would have 4 cubs and only 1 would survive, because there is so many fish all the cubs survive. I believe the otters are doing so well because of the anglers. What an own goal that is.

[pressld2]

I've just read the article and all the comments and they keep banging on about otters being "re-introduced". Is this true? I though the recovery in otter population was due entirely to improvements in habitat and reductions in pollution, and that the animals have spread out naturally from the surviving populations in Scotland, Wales and the West Country. I was not aware of any otters being introduced and cannot believe that this would be done on rivers that were incapable of supporting them (as alleged in some of the comments).

Dave P.

[Picidae]

Originally Posted by pressld2

I've just read the article and all the comments and they keep banging on about otters being "re-introduced". Is this true?

Dave P.

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

I see that the AT has put a disclaimer on the front page of their website. It seems the Press yet again, have got their facts wrong

Angling Trust - The Angling Trust

[RobinP]

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