As I said Comrade Gauntlett, I don't doubt that Otters reduce barbel populations in some rivers, especially smaller river systems. My point was about the wider environmental impact of otters, in particular the implication that otters are reeking havoc amongst other species of wildlife.
'I am compelled to ask where is the proof that overall otters are having a destructive or negative effect on the freshwater environment?
And other then a reduction in barbel numbers in some rivers, is there is single scrap of evidence to suggest that otters are impacting upon any other native species?'
If memory serves me right I recall that you suggested on this very site that otters were decimating bittern populations and I pointed out that bittern populations had actually increased significantly in recent years and that such an assertion beared no basis in fact.
The demonisation of otters and propensity to blame them for other environmental problems is remarkably similar to the tactics employed by 'Song Bird Survival' who try to attribute the decline of songbirds to the increase in raptor numbers post-DDT despite the weight of evidence to the contrary.
Regarding research - I take your point. But isn't it odd that despite there being over 2.6 million anglers in the UK and the angling industry being worth over £1 billion to the UK economy, there isn't enough money to fund research into the industry's biggest perceived threats?
Well now, Mein Fuhrer Winstanley,
As you well know (you do know, don't you?) the increase in bittern numbers in the UK is solely down to EU directives and funding amounting to millions of pounds being spent on restoration work on wetlands and reedbeds, i.e, the natural habitat of bittern. These birds became extinct in the UK in 1886, due to loss of that habitat, and hunting. They were later reintroduced with stock from Europe. Their numbers since then have had roller coaster variations, and once even came close to ecxtinction again. Happily, in recent years, this massive habit restoration work has indeed brought about a resurgence. However, I have it on good authority (and no, I won't reveal my source, nor care one jot what you make of that) that the spread of otters through East Anglia and other areas has caused many deaths of these birds in recent years. The true extent of that will not be known untill new counts are done.
Other wildlife affected? Take one prime example...the water vole. It is widely accepted (though no doubt you will be the exception, that being your habitual stance) that otters kill water voles. In fact they are second only to mink in that respest, and mink kill more purely because they are small enough to enter water vole burrows. Now, water voles are an endangered species, and much work has been done to save them from extinction, and they enjoy many of the same protections as otters. Unfotunately, as in the case of our declining fish stocks, there are many things that have brought them to the edge....pollution and habitat destruction by 'us lot' being a major factor.
So, sadly for the water vole, it shares many of the same problems as our various species of fish and other riverine critters in many of our waterways...it (they) has been brought to its current parlous state by OUR actions. Now, just as we have done with our fish stocks, at a time when their population numbers in many rivers are teetering on the edge, we are actively interfering once more by subjecting it to one final, additional issue, which could spell its doom. We are hastening the spread of a carnivour that it has absolutely no defence against. Do you not imagine that water voles feel that being killed by an otter may just qualify them to be proof that otters are 'Impacting upon other native species'?
There are many other examples, but it gets tiresome going through the same things over and over again. Sadly Joe, you are one of those that loves to be in denial....though I suspect you have your own agenda going on here. Whatever, anglers such as Chris Turnbull, John Wilson and many, many others that I can assure you are honest men with no reason to lie, have clearly stated that they have witnessed the devastation otters can cause to populations of fish and other wildlife when those creatures are already severly affected/weakened by mans actions. John Wison even had otters destroy the carp and catfish in his private lake. He had to stand by, powerless, and watch them do it. The effect otters have had on his beloved Norfolk and Suffolk rivers is the prime reason why he no longer lives in the UK.
Proof? There have been countless anglers who have watched, often videoed otters killing barbel, pike roach, you name it...for gawds sake, it's what they were borne to do! I would say good luck to them...if there were enough fish to support them. There has also been photgraphs/footage of them attacking and killing swans, herons, ducks, you name it. Do you not see that I am not blaming them for this, that would be utterly ridiculous. I am just trying to point out that now was NOT a good time to hasten their return. We needed to fix our rivers and guarantee them their natural food source before doing that. Or is that just way too sensible?
Of course fish and other wildlife have lived in harmony with otters for millenia, it is the natural and desirable state, it is how nature designed things to be. Sadly, nature didn't reckon on us being quite the selfish, destructive barstewards we are, did it? WE have wrought untold havoc on our world in the uncaring pursuit of profit, and we are not going to stop any time soon.
Unfortunately, we also seem to have a senseless but insatiable longing to interfere with what little is left of our natural world. As a fine example of this, we in the UK now appear to be largely ignoring the plight of the fish in our rivers by ignoring EU directives to improve the water quality in those rivers. We are now allowing chemicals that are utterly impervious to standard water/effluent treatment plants, but which severly harm fish, to be introduced into them via those same hopelessly outdated treatment plants. We are building on flood plains, culverting, straightening, dredging and polluting rivers on a scale that is scary in the extreme. And it gets worse year on year.
If that wasn't bizarre enough, we are at the same time hastening the resurgence of an apex predator that relies on those very same fish that we are destroying....for it's own survival. If you don't find that a very strange state of affairs dear boy, then you need a reality check.
Cheers, Dave.
