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Culling of a Protected Species - Implications!

Paul
I am sure I saw one fly overhead into a tree one November at the Bibs but as it was fading daylight I couldn't make it out on the opposite bank.

David,
Yes you can train them to hunt Cormorants and Otters too if the need be but I don't think it would go down too well politically for Angling and Falconry in general :D


Brian
 
Goshawk do seem to be around that area, i saw some a few years back along with peregrine, which nest in the rock. Love birds of prey and was horrified when i first heard about the buzzard situation. There is no reason why buzzards cant live around pheasant, more get killed on the roads than by predation. This wont be the end of it though, land owners will take the law into their own hands; always have and always will and you wont find buzzard carcasses, just like you wont find otter carcasses on land where they are not wanted, especially where there are commercial interests.

Paul
 
While I wouldn't usually disagree with Pete's standpoint regarding anglers standing alongside shooters in the interest our protecting common ground, it is only in the last two years that I have had any sightings of buzzards in Norfolk. Each sighting has considerably brightened my day and I'm really pleased to see them back in the Norfolk sky as nature intended. On the other hand pheasants are a non-indigenous species and there are massive numbers of them just about everywhere. I'd like some real proof that buzzards seriously need culling in order to protect pheasants before I count myself as standing alongside shooters on this subject.
 
Chris
Having hunted birds of prey a common buzzard is probably one of the laziest in terms of hunting prefering to eat easy meals carrion etc. Common buzzards are usually a beginners bird as they are robust enough to withstand the odd mistake from a newbie falconer.
Flying around as well are quite a few "exotic" birds of prey lost to falconers Red Tailed Buzzards, Harris Hawks,Ferrugious etc these are more capable hunters. Again not enough to establish breeding pairs etc as far as I know so are no danger to native raptors.

Brian
 
I'm not a fan of Otter's affect on fishing, but I have always been of the view that to try to cull them would spell the end of angling as a pastime in this country.

I see leaving Otters alone as the lesser of two evils in that sense. Better to be able to fish legally and in competition with Otters than not at all...(i know some may disagree with this on stretches that have been truly decimated, but I'm thinking more generally).

I think this U-Turn on Buzzards is a perfect test case of what would happen if we took Otters on. Massive backlash at the very least, and a failure of policy. At worst, a whole ethical debate about the morality of fishing could start up and I think it will only end up worse for anglers.

I guess we've been round and round the houses on this question on here many times, but it is certainly interesting to have this recent Buzzard U-turn to reflect back on the next time we feel the urge to get gun-ho with our furry friends...
 
David Parker said:
I'm not a fan of Otter's affect on fishing, but I have always been of the view that to try to cull them would spell the end of angling as a pastime in this country.

I see leaving Otters alone as the lesser of two evils in that sense. Better to be able to fish legally and in competition with Otters than not at all...(i know some may disagree with this on stretches that have been truly decimated, but I'm thinking more generally).

I think this U-Turn on Buzzards is a perfect test case of what would happen if we took Otters on. Massive backlash at the very least, and a failure of policy. At worst, a whole ethical debate about the morality of fishing could start up and I think it will only end up worse for anglers.

I guess we've been round and round the houses on this question on here many times, but it is certainly interesting to have this recent Buzzard U-turn to reflect back on the next time we feel the urge to get gun-ho with our furry friends...
Click to expand...

I don't think you would get many serious disagreements about your stance on this issue David. Most thinking anglers are unhappy about the devastating effects that the re-emergence of otters has had/will continue to have on numerous waters and fisheries, but accept that the situation is something we have to live with. Most anglers ARE realists, despite all the angry words that have passed under the bridge.

Many anglers in fact welcome the return of otters, seeing them for what they are, a beautiful and natural resident of our riversides. My feelings on that are that in an ideal situation, with healthy rivers fully capable of sustaining a strong population of all types of fish and invertebrates, and thus easily able to cope with natural predation, there would not be one single voice raised against otters...far from it. Sadly, we very much do not have an ideal situation. Most of our rivers are in a very sorry state, with the best few rating as reasonable and the worst close to disaster. There possibly could have been a worse time for a major predator to reappear....but you would be hard put to come up with one.

So....Accept the situation? Yes, absolutely. Like the situation? No, not one little bit. However, the very fact that we are now able to SAY that we are saddened by the whole thing, without fear of being jumped all over for our natural reaction to seeing once glorious fisheries devastated....means you will probably see less furious arguments on the subject than previously, if you follow my drift :D There will no doubt be ongoing discussions on the subject, not least because of the worries many have had about possible repercussions from captive bread and reared otters being introduced (the possible behavioural changes that that unnatural situation may have bought about etc.).....but I for one will not be getting so heated on the subject, now that the catalyst is no longer present.

Cheers, Dave.
 
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