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That's a big Otter!

We have a few around St Ives in Cambs, that is 80 miles inland...
Unfortunately they seem to be quite settled to river life and have been around for at least 3 years.
They, with the other "furry pests" have denuded the area of larger fish, to the point that there is bugger all chance of catching anything bigger than 12oz
 
I hooked one on my local river a few years ago, I thought I'd struck into the mother of all Pike initially, then everything went slack and up popped a seal right above where my bait was.

I packed up and went home, the river is a shadow of its' former self in recent years.
 
Yes its in our stretch and we've been in a nightmare scenario since the weekend when we first heard about it.
It's gone as far as it can go due to the weir and is now resident in a prime barbel spawning area - anyone who knows the Swale will know that this stretch is arguably the jewel in the crown for Northern/ North Eastern barbel fishing, but most probably not for long. It is heartbreaking.
Clubs & syndicates seem to be doing all they can.We are pushing the Angling Trust to get behind us and await any official response from them.As it stands we are in the hands of the British Divers Marine Life Rescue who are monitoring it and have a loose plan to net it when they have a licence ( we guess from Natural England) and the river drops. Please be aware that are involved because threats have been made against the seal on forums and have been passed to the Police/RSPCA. I have spoken to the BDMLR so know this to be the case. Loose lips and all that.
If anyone out there has any sensible advice or has been in a similar position and managed to get a resolution I'm sure us Swale Anglers would really appreciate it.
 
It wouldn't surprise me if somebody did something stupid.

As much I hate to see this predicament, we, as anglers should be seen to be handling the situation in a correct and civilized manner, to try to ensure any future help from the relevant authorities in case of similar scenarios in the future.
 
True Bob. Everyone I speak to is in shock and emotions are high, more with the seemingly relentless onslaught of predation, poaching & pollution that blights our sport, than the actual seal. It has people looking out for it, but it feels like we have no-one looking out for us, the fish or the ecosystem.
But that's another thread.
It is being monitored, as in there are cameras trained on the river. We have offered our support in terms of access and manpower if required, when they decide to try and net it.
But as most of you probably know every day counts with a creature that can allegedly eat 50lb + of fish a day.
 
I'm that disillusioned with my local club waters that I'm dropping out this year and looking to rejoin a club controlling stretches of river further inland because of reasons I spoke about a couple of posts up!

Middlesbrough and Leeds, Leeds might need a rethink:oops: That seal won't be the only one I'd wager. At least the weir in question is a deterrent for them getting further up to Middlesbroughs stretches, but having said that, it's obviously negotiated Crakehill weir:mad: I can't imagine the damage done on the narrow stretches that make up the Swale, it's little more than a stream in places!
 
It would be so easy for a vet to dart it with a sedative, load it into the back of a truck, and take it back to the coast, and release it with all its mates, where i'm pretty sure it would be much happier, a few beaters would be enough to scare it away from the river to stop it escaping until the drug takes effect.... or am i talking rubbish ?
 
Two things.....
you can apply for a licence to shoot it if it is causing a lot of damage, sometimes they grant them......
And the reason its there is probably because its already had positive contact with humans (RSPCA) and has lost most of its fear of us.....most of the ones in the Gt Ouse have been nursed back to health by the RSPCA and released into the wash, but the lure of easy prey in rivers overcomes the wariness of humans, the seals around St-Ives have passes by at least 3 locks to get where they are now.......
 
Ian Grant said:
It would be so easy for a vet to dart it with a sedative, load it into the back of a truck, and take it back to the coast, and release it with all its mates, where i'm pretty sure it would be much happier, a few beaters would be enough to scare it away from the river to stop it escaping until the drug takes effect.... or am i talking rubbish ?
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If you release it back to sea it will only come back......usually within a few days apparently...:(
 
Far too sensible Ian,thats just what would happen if it was a four legged creature.Best leave it to Natural England to sort out,probably hatch a plan to hypnotise it and send it on its way.The EA on the other hand will explain that when its eaten all the fish,it will just clear off,so no need to worry !! .
 
Deja Vu .A few years a go we had '' Sammy ' seal in residence on the Yorkshire Ouse mainly around Linton on Ouse lock / weir but it did go for jaunts often for many miles . It was present for the best part of a year often lounging about on a sandbed just below the weir / Salmon ladder . It became quite the celebrity with TV crews turning up from as far away as Japan to film him ! The theory was that these Seals follow the Salmon runs up from the sea which seems plausible . Sammy appeared to eat mainly pike and didn't seem to adversely effect the barbel fishing , indeed he popped up in my swim on numerous occasions just to say hello . Eventually Sammy ' disappeared 'probably shot .Seal sightings in Sammys day were common and he usually got the blame, however it became evident that there was more than one Seal in the river system. As for negotiating weirs and other obstacles , clearly they are no problem as this seal has gone up x 2 major weirs on the Ouse before arriving at Topcliffe . As for sorting this situation out , netting , darting , were contemplated for Sammy but not pursued , as has been said he was probably ' dispatched ' by person or persons unknown .Who knows what will happen to this one ......
 
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Is the run of salmon and sea trout in the Ouse big enough to lure a seal up river ?
If so how do rivers with big runs, like the Scottish salmon rivers, survive ? Surely they would have hundreds of seals in residence.
 
Mike Hodgkiss said:
Deja Vu .A few years a go we had '' Sammy ' seal in residence on the Yorkshire Ouse mainly around Linton on Ouse lock / weir but it did go for jaunts often for many miles . It was present for the best part of a year often lounging about on a sandbed just below the weir / Salmon ladder . It became quite the celebrity with TV crews turning up from as far away as Japan to film him ! The theory was that these Seals follow the Salmon runs up from the sea which seems plausible . Sammy appeared to eat mainly pike and didn't seem to adversely effect the barbel fishing , indeed he popped up in my swim on numerous occasions just to say hello . Eventually Sammy ' disappeared 'probably shot .Seal sightings in Sammys day were common and he usually got the blame, however it became evident that there was more than one Seal in the river system. As for negotiating weirs and other obstacles , clearly they are no problem as this seal has gone up x 2 major weirs on the Ouse before arriving at Topcliffe . As for sorting this situation out , netting , darting , were contemplated for Sammy but not pursued , as has been said he was probably ' dispatched ' by person or persons unknown .Who knows what will happen to this one ......
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I remember the seal at Linton as it was a very fine pike fishery. Interesting about the barbel. I used to live in Beverley and fished the tidal River Hull which back in the 90's/ early Noughties was a superb pike fishery.. until the seals arrived. I left there in 2008 and to the best of my knowledge it went downhill fast and has still not recovered, although of course it wasn't just the seals, but also the re-introduction of otters, fish taking etc..
I moved back home I switched attention to the Tees only to discover I was a year or two too late as a number of seals had got through the barrage and again completed mullered the pike population - again my understanding is that they are still there too.

We have just had some feedback from the Angling Trust who have had discussions with Natural England and are going to speak to BDMLR so at least the 'politicians' are on the case.
 
Mike Thompson said:
Is the run of salmon and sea trout in the Ouse big enough to lure a seal up river ?
If so how do rivers with big runs, like the Scottish salmon rivers, survive ? Surely they would have hundreds of seals in residence.
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In a word Mike, Yes , there is a significant run of both . I think you will find that the many full time keepers on the Scottish rivers will be busy ' discouraging ' Seals '
 
I have been speaking to the AT re the problem. They mentioned that they have been trialing acoustic deterrents( recordings of orcas etc) on certain Scottish rivers and shepherded the seals back to the sea in canoes. Not sure how effective it has been.
No further forward. As long as the river is up nothing will happen. The view appears to be that as the river recedes the seal will feel vulnerable in a small river and naturally head downstream.
About as likely as Gazza or Oliver Reid RIP breaking out of an off-licence?
 
Perhaps the seal is hanging around the weir as running Salmon/ Sea Trout are gathered there to negotiate the hazard ? They might not be interested in eating muddy bony old barbel .That said migratory fish will gather in pools below weirs at low water waiting for the river to rise so they can get over the obstacle with less effort ,so the seal might be better off waiting until the river drops . I reckon it will just '' disappear'' one dark night /early morning .....
 
There has been a seal at Naburn on the Ouse for the last three weeks and two more in the Ouse above York plus the one at Topcliffe.Oh and a thirty pound Salmon and lots of others from the Ure this week.Funny thing this nature!
 
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