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Tony Miles -Article on Otters - Coarse fisherman

Jon Frisby

Jon Frisby

Senior Member & Supporter
This is a great article by Tony miles on the damage caused by Otters, a great read, by a great Barbel angler and very close to the truth.

Found in the March edition
 
Never mind what we think, Otters are here to stay. I blame the do gooders that think that because Otters and the like were here years ago, that the moddern enviroment can sustain them. Their main food supply which is Eels are no longer around, so what do we expect them to live on if it's not Eels.
Personaly I would sooner they reintroduced Wolves! But that's my opinion. :)
 
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What about some big cats near the do gooders small holdings?

That would be interesting.

A few encounters with some bright yellow eyes at night .............
 
Apparently, as well as wolves, Bears were very common when the UK was mostly forest...........
 
I know i'm going to be shot down in flames for this but man has a lot to answer for what has gone before has he not? What with the hunting of otters, the pollution in the waterways killing eels and other fish that the otter would eat etc, etc......

I do believe that the otter population needs to be controlled but i also believe that we need to take some responsibility for what we are also doing to our environment past and present.

Before anyone asks, no i'm not some green environmentalist, tree hugging hippy. I'm just someone who likes to think that i've got a balanced view on things. There have been a couple of recent threads on here that have thankfully had a balanced view which i found quite refreshing.

Edit: I have not read the article in question and do not live in an area affected by otters (i'm just not a very good fisherman!)

Trevor
 
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We seem to live in a mad world, all these reintroductions of animals that were exterminated years ago, with an ever growing population there is just no space for these creatures in a modern Britain, there is obviously going to be conflict.
 
Hi men ,

Im looking forward to the day when you have to be carefull what log you sit on in case its a freshwater GATTOR :D, would not worry me , I come from Luton , Kabul without the dust :D.

Hatter
 
When agencies, say they are making fish passes to improve habitats for eels and other fish, then introducing elver into the waterway, the next animal entering the system, via man, will be Otters. Anybody who thinks that eels are the staple diet of Otters, need their head testing, they are totally indiscriminate. We have done without this animal for years, they were eradicated for a reason, and that still stands for me. I feel sorry for any fisherman that has this animal in their area, especially when their sport has diminished. I feel for the pain of fishermen, not the induced pain for Otters. Do-gooders have a lot to answer for, mink for one. The minority win again and the majority have to suffer again.

Jon
 
Think there needs to some perspective on this Jon. Without a doubt otters will kill any fish that it happens across, but pollution kills a hell of a lot more which is mainly a man made issue.

As i said before, i do believe that something needs to be done to limit numbers of otters released or at least for something to be done to protect fisheries i.e fencing or humane catch and release.

Otters were here way before us lot started wearing floppy hats and decided to sit out in all weathers trying to catch a barbel were they not?

Trevor
 
Trevor i can see your point totally, and wasnt having a dig at all. I just posted my views, but your views may win the day.

Jon
 
I didn't take it that you were Jon and i wasn't either, honest!

One way to look at it is, what came first the otter or the barbel?

Nature is a cruel beast but these things tend to sort themselves out eventually. It does make me wonder though if we didn't name these fish and people didn't report their catches so much to the weeklies would we be complaining so much?

Ooooh and it makes you wonder........

Trevor
 
Nature is indeed a cruel beast. A beast which determined that through mans pollution, hunting and bad farming practise that the otter should die out.

Man has yet again messed around with the natural order by trying to re-establish otters, which ironically is totally against the natural order.

The weeklies have nothing to do with it.
 
It didn't actualy die out though did it? It remained in pockets that were unaffected by mans influence. Now that a lot of those bad practices have been stopped (hunting etc) would the otter have made a come back anyway without mans intervention?

Where do we stop with regards to trying to cultivate an environment that is a best fit for us barbel anglers? Get rid of all pike/ perch/ zander and any other fish that eats the barbels eggs/ fry (most fish that swim)? If we're not careful all we'll be left with is our own example of a commercial fishery with nowt but barbel present, a frightening thought me thinks!

Trevor
 
Ah yes, I remember it well (sung in a French, Maurice Chevalier, accent) - keepers on the Southern chalkstreams digging pits a few yards back from their river then filling them with removed vermin - grayling and ALL coarse fish, tons of them.............
 
All I want and I don't believe that its only my wish, is for rivers to sustain ALL indigenous species to that environment.
No mass culls of non native species unless they are clearly having a depremental effect on their new found environments.
Crayfish and mink being about top of the unwanted list.
BUT
sadly this is and alas always will just be a dream.

And TBH I'd rather catch a carp from the Thames than nothing at all just to be a martyr to the cause.
Equally so I'd much rather catch a indigenous Thames barbel but otters aside the river (not alone) just isn't really a suitable environment for much else but bream, tench, carp etc.

Otters are indigenous so belong in our rivers as much as any chub and sorry more so than many barbel.
Though this ideal really is just pure fantasy and truly ain't gonna happen, not in my life time at any rate!!
 
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