Please sign this!

[the real steady eddie]

Take a look at BW latest madness and sign the petition-

 

http://www.petition.co.uk/stop-the-removal...from-our-canals

done and dusted budgie,glad none of those muppets are members of our waters

[Janet]

Signed

[Worms]

Very true, though "visibly" healthy medium size to larger specimens are their preference....worth expending the energy on chasing, catching / subdue & dragging out.

Come on Jeff, you know that's not true.

 

When they can they will take bigger fish....if that's on the increase then it just goes to show there must be more big fish about. If they take them from stocked puddles with no (legal) deterrents then good luck to them.

 

The Wye was recently classified as the country's best coarse fishing river...again, recently I believe...and with all those pesky otters...just goes to show what good they do in managing fish stocks...at no cost to the licence payer!

 

And none were introduced!

 

(in Dalek voice) " you will be converted!"

 

Either that or become a denizen of the deep on "go fishing" forum

Edited March 5, 2011 by Worms

[Andy Macfarlane]

Imagine natural numbers of otters managing a river....who would have thought it?

 

Anyway, why would anyone in this day and age wish to remove pike? The only reason I can think of is BW wish to increase the numbers of pike noddies on the canals, because this is the only outcome I can imagine. Pike literally breed out of spite and it's always almost been the case that anywhere where pike are targeted, will inevitably become a screaming jack water 2-3 seasons later.

 

The noddies must be rubbing their hands with glee.

[Jeffwill]

Come on Jeff, you know that's not true.

 

I would not say it if i thought it was untrue. What are you suggesting?

 

When they can they will take bigger fish....if that's on the increase then it just goes to show there must be more big fish about. If they take them from stocked puddles with no (legal) deterrents then good luck to them.

 

Otters routinely take large fish and eat a relatively small part of the carcass when there are smaller / average size fish in the water. Smaller fish are less powerful and obviously easier to catch but.....the otter targets a fish it knows it will only take the major organs from. Bigger fish ...bigger organs.. the great ouse british record barbel (21lb+) was found with approx one lb of its visceral area chewed away, thats a huge fish targetted when there are plenty of smaller fish. Maybe the river should have been fenced

 

You mention dismissively "stocked puddles" - without these kinds of fisheries there are lots of less able bodied anglers that would not be able to partake of the sport we all enjoy. And the fishery owners dont all have pots of money to fence their waters in. Pound to a penny you have no idea how much otter proof fencing actually costs? No googling

 

The Wye was recently classified as the country's best coarse fishing river...again, recently I believe...and with all those pesky otters...just goes to show what good they do in managing fish stocks...at no cost to the licence payer!

 

Regarding the river wye - loads of anglers I meet on the river love the wye (valley) in particular because of its beauty. Thats what they tell me. Not one would attribute any of their experience to the presence of otters. Being a spate river the fish are fighting fit naturally and excellent sport for anglers. Any fish that are below par would be washed out at no cost to the licence payer

 

And none were introduced!

 

Then maybe man should have left nature take care of stocking the rest of the country! (in Dalek voice)

 

" you will be converted!"

 

I've said this before, I have been converted - from where you sit in the arguement that otters are "cuddly blighters" to my current position where with current breeding rates there will be increases in problems all over the country in the not to distant future (good news for you). I dont want everyone unaffected at the moment to wear rose tinted glasses.

 

Either that or become a denizen of the deep on "go fishing" forum

 

Sorry you've lost me there.Jeff