The Angling Times this week has flagged up what many of us have known for some time – booming otter populations are starting to significantly impact on fisheries all over the UK.

Anglers like to consider themselves conservationists, and I believe that the Rivers Trust phenomenon has largely been driven by anglers. But Rivers Trusts with their charitable status are, as I understand it, about conservation for everyone, not just anglers. So when otters start munching their way through stocks of river fish in rivers where rivers trusts are established, what position are the trusts going to take? And it might also be asked what position the Salmon & Trout Association are going to take with their new charitable conservation status?

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I never knew they were having a "significantly impact on fisheries all over the UK."
Are we talking wild fisheries here or small man made fisheries with a lot of stock fish (either coarse fish or trout)?


Andy

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Nice one David!
This should be a good debate!

I'm of the opinion, we should let nature take it's course, you'll only find Otters where there's plenty of food; and, yes, it will make life a little more difficult for the angler, with less fish in the river; but Mother Nature has her own way of finding a balance. As the rivers and waterways become cleaner, the fish will breed in greater numbers; and the rivers will once again become self sustainable!

Although I suppose we'll have those who disagree with total conservation; and want a cull, if interferes with their fishing.

I love my fishing, and enjoy being out alongside the rivers and waterways, sharing the environment with other creatures!

Live and let live!

Mostyn

Are you serious? i mean really serious? ok this isnt a dig at you David more the number of times this issue comes up with angling press

an otters territory is gernerally about 20km of river, so there wont be localised predation unless there is a still water, in which case there are many best practise guidance notes out there for owners.

If the level of predation by otters on a stretch of river is the biggest inhibiting factor in fish stocks, i would consider myself to have the best stretch of river in the country, what about the amount of fish killed or restricted by:

Agricultural run off
urban run off
consented discharges
point source pollution
Mink Predation (on a 1.5km territory)
Goosander predation
cormorants
herons
etc
etc

~I am keen to know where these booming otter populations are directly affecting fish stocks? or is this a case of otters eating nice big fat stockies that have no in built natural sense of danger, in which case "serves them right" IMHO

or is this another (in the historically long list) of knee jerk reactions by the angling press because someone has seen an otter eating a fish, or is it just because fish remains are being found at a site

I think most (if not all) rivers trust would welcome otters as the top predator showing the ecosystem was healthy and functioning correctly if they dont have this view then they shouldnt be a rivers trust as they dont have the whole ecosystems interest at heart.


Im sorry but stuff like this really pee's me off, as someone who works in river conservation trying very dammed hard to link fisheries and nature conservation together hand in hand then you get rubbish like this printed which sets the whole thing back. Hopefully any enlightened anglers and rivers trusts will realise the otters are there as a result of good management and habitat practises(excluding stocked stillwaters), unlike the other issues which relate to poor management,

sorry rant over

That is exactly the way I feel, well said. As an angler I want to be perceived as someone who relishes the natural world. Someone who gets to experience it first hand and someone who makes the effort to understand and interperet the things that they see, hear, smell and feel in the countryside. A sort of amatuer aquatic naturalist if you like. That is what I feel is the complete angling experience.

To sanatize the environment in order to protect one mono culture of fish life, or any other type of creature, is really missing the point I think. Dovemink, that was a very good post, not a rant at all.

couldn't agree more!

Well ranted Dovemink!


Andy

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Unlike invasive species (e.g. signal crayfish or marine predators like cormorants), native fish species and otters historically occurred (and persisted) together in our rivers in a workable balance. Fact.

There's nothing to suggest the need for a hysterical reaction; especially when you consider that less sexy invasive species (like japanese knotweed or himalayan balsam) have massive potential to damage to trout recruitment by knackering spawning gravels.

On the one hand - you've got species that have co-evolved together in some kind of balance (native fish and otters).
On the other, there are rampant alien species let loose on "naive" ecosystems that haven't had the chance to evolve competetive or defensive mechanisms.

Beware of saying otters are causing declines in fish populations (IF there are genuine declines in fish numbers...). You are very vulnerable to making a meaningless correlation (or link).

For example, it's true to say that the numbers of cutlass-wielding pirates have reduced over time. It's equally true to say that global temperature has increased over the same period of time. However, only a lunatic would suggest that becoming a pirate will fight global warming...


Avast!

I think seeing an otter at work whilst im fisshing would be an amazing site!!! I love the site of herons taking off clumsily. this may get me into trouble but ive seen a few mink on some of the rivers ive fished and i must admit i have a bit of a soft spot for these guys, they really are amazing to watch. now if they were otter instead i would feel much less guilty

great rant dovemink you are spot on and it osunds very much like you have the knowledge and experience to back it up.

just think of of it as some friendly competition

P.S.

Massive "hi five" dovemink.

Preach on brother.