This is the sort of thing that boils my blood
As i've argued before Otters would be best left to propergate naturally that way they will fit in with the natural ecology of the area they've populated. We've seen the damage wreaked on rivers and fisheries where so called experts have released them, in far to higher numbers resulting in the carnage we've all seen.
But ! .... I smell a rat here
1) 8,500 Carp eaten by Otters - and thats just one of his 6 lakes - I don't think so ! Just how many Otters did the EA release ?
It would take 10 Otters feeding exclusivley on that lake let alone the other 5 nearly three years to chomp their way through that lot !
2) It's unlikley that the skeletons he found in the lake are Otter kills, i doubt that an Otter would eat Carp of that size in the water, they always drag a fish of that size out, and eat it on the bank.
Those skeletons look like they've been boiled ! in reality they've rotted down naturally, and not been stripped of flesh as he said.
It's obvious that he's had losses due to Otter predation, but i think to lose 8,500 fish - just from one lake, it's almost certain he's had a massive fish kill probably due to disease.
If he stocked 8,500 carp of the size shown by the skeletons in the photograph, and if the size of his lakes ... ponds ? - is typical of the photo's shown, it's no suprise that he lost his stock.
I think he's trying it on, or he's been very badly advised by his fish consultants, he's going to lose his case for sure, when the EA bring in their experts who will refute his claims probably along the lines of what i've just said.
That will likley be publicised, and will do no favours to anglings cause in the eyes of the public.
If i was him i'd withdraw the case, he'll likley end up with a whopping bill for legal costs - his own, and the EA's on top of what he's already lost.
Silly man !
Ian.
