Otters and the Angling Trust.

[Patrick Leigh]

Interesting Comment in the Mail today from the Chief Scientist, Tom Tew of English Nature.

"We won't be re-introducing Fish Eagles into the wild until we have undertaken a thorough Investigation into the potential impact on the environment"

Graham

read that as..... One of our specialists has just informed us that the Fish Eagle has a taste for Otter cubs and we can't let that happen now can we?

 

[Paul Murray]

Sorry to -re-ignite this subject but I have just read a very hard-hitting piece by Fishery Owner / Carp Breeder Mark Simmonds in Carpworld this month.

He said " After 35 years in fishery management and fish farming nothing I have seen could have prepared me for the sight that greeted me when I drained one of my fish farm sites near Romsey Hampshire, to see £30,000 worth of prime 20-33lb carp dead, dying torn to shreds and missing at the hands of the biggest threat to fishings this country has ever known - the Otter."

He also states that "river fishing can't be protected - it is finished". Chub, barbel and pike are being found dead on a daily basis on the Hampshire Avon and Dorset Stour - only those waters behind electric fences will survive. Many people will read this and think that this article is totally out of proportion to the problem, but keep it and read it in 10 years and see what happened. The Environment Agency- the very people who are supposed to be protecting our sport, along with English Nature, are destroying it."

A very powerful, passionate article - it certainly made me re-think my stance on Otter control....

Regards

Paul.

 

[Tom Herbert]

I think there are going to be some very grim times ahead on the rivers Paul.

 

[David Hall]

Sorry to -re-ignite this subject but I have just read a very hard-hitting piece by Fishery Owner / Carp Breeder Mark Simmonds in Carpworld this month.

He said " After 35 years in fishery management and fish farming nothing I have seen could have prepared me for the sight that greeted me when I drained one of my fish farm sites near Romsey Hampshire, to see £30,000 worth of prime 20-33lb carp dead, dying torn to shreds and missing at the hands of the biggest threat to fishings this country has ever known - the Otter."

He also states that "river fishing can't be protected - it is finished". Chub, barbel and pike are being found dead on a daily basis on the Hampshire Avon and Dorset Stour - only those waters behind electric fences will survive. Many people will read this and think that this article is totally out of proportion to the problem, but keep it and read it in 10 years and see what happened. The Environment Agency- the very people who are supposed to be protecting our sport, along with English Nature, are destroying it."

A very powerful, passionate article - it certainly made me re-think my stance on Otter control....

Regards

Paul.

i don't think rivers are finished, however the bigger fish will pretty much go in time, maybe we could get rid of the cormorant's and turn the rivers into roach drains....lol

 

[Colin Gordon]

Dave Hall wrote, "i don't think rivers are finished, however the bigger fish will pretty much go in time."

Sadly most of the rivers I seem to fish have such poor fry recruitment, a few big fish is all that they have stock wise.

Personally I don't blame the otters for decimated fish stocks on the rivers around me, which I tend to fish most often,
BUT they are proving to be the icing on the cake, that'll finish off many small rivers, especially in the Thames valley.
Actually a better proverb would be, the straw that broke the camel's back. Because it may well prove the last straw for many rivers, and the final ingredient that breaks them!!

Rivers Thames, Cherwell, Evenlode and Windrush practically devoid of barbel. The first three on that list are getting periously low in numbers of everything except crayfish.

Eventually the penny will drop and the do-gooding morons that encouraged this problem should start seeing a problem but of course it'll be anglers fault that otters have no food because lakes containing fish will inevitably be predator fenced.

 

[Jason Bean]

Don't matter now does it....EA recreational policy is to fill every river with canoeists and there clubs, only if it does not affect the environment...what environment, crays dont mind the odd canoe or ten....this will be only when they are pretty sure they've got rid of most of us quiet anglers that just moan amongst ourselves? I think this is the way it will slowly go round my way.

Weird proficy....but there is an aire of reality behind it?

No need for for fish in rivers anymore?

who would ever know other than us?

Ummm Jason

 

[Jason Bean]

And no I'm not god.....proficies?

Only Colin Gordon himself can walk on water.....well not not on the Severn or Cherwell recently

 

[Jason Bean]

And in all honesty I dont give two ****s whether a commercial fish farmer of fishery looses all their fish to otters...fact of life nowadays

But I do not want one penny of EA money or AT time going to support them

Jason

 

[Ray Walton]

Don't matter now does it....EA recreational policy is to fill every river with canoeists and there clubs, only if it does not affect the environment...what environment, crays dont mind the odd canoe or ten....this will be only when they are pretty sure they've got rid of most of us quiet anglers that just moan amongst ourselves? I think this is the way it will slowly go round my way.

Weird proficy....but there is an aire of reality behind it?

No need for for fish in rivers anymore?

who would ever know other than us?

Ummm Jason

I think the Kingfishers, Herons and Waders etc would like to have a say on their future survival regarding 'No need for for fish in rivers anymore.' As part of the riverine foodchain, it will eventually destroy a lot more wildlife in and out of the river.
Also, when the wildfowl nest on the weedbeds and in bankside cover, i am sure the canoes and other boats will disturb, turn nests over with wash, and/or cause the parents to desert nests, eggs and young.
Another angle which could be more successful is by way of the RSPB/Wildlife Trusts, Natural England etc, as the public are much more tuned in.

 

[Jason Bean]

Ray, there will be just enough fish in there for the birds and other predators but not enough for anglers or the clubs to keep them viable as fisheries, I believe you fished the Ouse in the past and in may ways is similar to the tributaries around oxford just not quite as bad.

I've said this before and make no apologies for saying it again.....things can get very bad and I do feel most do not realise this yet

Cheers
Jason