Well done, keep it up I am sure these sort of comments on BFW will further alienate our cause from the public at large, while were at it we could take out the Cormorants, Seals EE's Mink, Heron Kingfisher, anything that takes 'our' fish, because truth is the public don't give a toss about Barbel or any other fish come to that, and they care a lot less about the likes of you and I
Suggesting shooting a protected and much loved species is hardly Blue Sky Thinking is it Lee?
Bottom line is I feel as defeated as anyone on here about the loss of Barbel to any river, but we have to put things into perspective, and what was suggested earlier that the flip side is the Otter is driving out the mink then a positive, and if the Red Squirrel can do the same to the Greys then we are on a roll.
Angling has suffered a huge own goal with the Seal debacle in Bewdley, what with school kids adopting him (actually her) and naming it Sammy, and then 'our' represented body calling for it to be shot!! Well done lads a great service to Angling...Not!!! So keep it up Lee because it won't be the Otter that will be the demise of Angling it will be quotes like this that will be used against us again.
Can we please think before we engage mouth!!
Oh! and Dave I really do feel for you, I really do, and if it is the Otter then surely there is a case to answer, but we do need evidence, and perhaps then we might get some sympathy. What I find odd is the lack of fish carcass, I mean if there is such a slaughter why cant we see the bodies? 'My' stretch of the WA has a few Otters now, only last Sunday Joe and I saw a number of Otter prints in the wet mud, but I have never seen any carcass, which I would expect.
However it is undeniable there is a problem, Windrush, Teme, Bristol Avon, Colne, God knows how many other Rivers too, and these 'smaller' river will suffer more for obvious reasons, but if it is any consolation it seems the larger Rivers are just fine, as is the Severn, Tent and Thames, perhaps we will have to bite the bullet rather than fire it?