Otter

[chesters1]

ospreys ?

 

i once attended the pond after a phone call about foreigners "setting lines" to catch fish and met the angler at the pond ,the set lines were the tapes we used to stretch across the pond to deter cormorants ,fine i thought but couldn't be bothered to ask him where the hooks were dangling to catch the fish.

 

a "cormorant" in more than one case now was a bloody heron, a mink more than once an otter and even a fox was pointed out as one ,never believe anglers with hands stretched as well as the understanding of actually one animal or bird from another

Edited February 1, 2012 by chesters1

[barry luxton]

Can someone please remind me how many thousands of these killing machines where released, following years of man made decimation interventions against the specis.

[Worms]

Can someone please remind me how many thousands of these killing machines where released, following years of man made decimation interventions against the specis.

Records for 117 licensed releases over 16 years Barry not including the quite legitimate release of recovered injured and orphanned animals (no figures for those but probably quite low).

 

...that's 117 animals....not 117 thousand

Edited February 1, 2012 by Worms

[chesters1]

how many became roadkill ,a 100 or so nationwide has a lot to answer to for all this destruction and mass murder of fish!

 

whilst on the subject i have only seen one cormorant on the pond in the last 3 years where has this excuse gone? shot or back to the coasts?

whilst its easy to point fingers at furry animals i suggest people turn their gaze at water companies who not only sell the stuff but pump untold amounts of pollutants into waterways and make fine profits doing so

Edited February 1, 2012 by chesters1

[Guest redfin2]

No not really hence forth the question.

 

I'm all right Jack then

[Guest redfin2]

how many became roadkill ,a 100 or so nationwide has a lot to answer to for all this destruction and mass murder of fish!

 

whilst on the subject i have only seen one cormorant on the pond in the last 3 years where has this excuse gone? shot or back to the coasts?

whilst its easy to point fingers at furry animals i suggest people turn their gaze at water companies who not only sell the stuff but pump untold amounts of pollutants into waterways and make fine profits doing so

Well you might have a point there somewhere, however I will take issue about the 'untold amounts of pollutants pumped into our Waterways''

 

Couldn't be that you are a tad glass half full sort of chap are you?

 

Oh! and one other thing my 'carnage' comment about the Otter was supposed to be 'tongue in cheek' I don't really think they would destroy a fishery overnight

 

A week maybe

[Guest redfin2]

Blimey, you still here

 

Yes by popular demand

[Worms]

Oh! and one other thing my 'carnage' comment about the Otter was supposed to be 'tongue in cheek' I don't really think they would destroy a fishery overnight

 

A week maybe

Rubbish, they'd take years to wipe out a commercial fishery....they restock them every week don't they

[Dick Dastardly]

I'm all right Jack then

 

Exactly why I asked the question redfin,to conceed that some off us (myself included) may be basing our opinions on different experiences and circumstances to others. Rather than adopting a "Im all right Jack" attitude I would much rather check that those who state the otter is causing a problem in their area are in fact right and that I dont understand/cant empathise simply because my situation isn't the same.

 

If they could convince me that this was the case then I would support them 100% regardless of if it was a personal issue to me or not.

 

So far though I havent been convinced and the way they have put their case only confirms my initial doubts about their credibility. As I mentioined before I come across anglers screaming about the evil of otters in my area where (to my knowledge) there arent any................and more importantly I see these same anglers (who tell me how informed and knowledgable on the subject of otters they are) pointing out mink as otters.............

[barry luxton]

My comment is awaiting moderation. Will be interesting to see if it makes it...

And mine is, so i thought i would copy it here just in case it gets lost.

 

barry luxton says:

Your comment is awaiting moderation.

 

February 1, 2012 at 1:37 pm

 

Hello guys, my first post so i won’t try to be controversial. My very good freind Nick Staples (scientist) has emailed me and spoke with regards to the otter debate, so if you have no objection and to enjoy openess and transparency within our sport, i have reprinted his last comments to you below. Personally i think there are some anglers who are paranoid and use the decade old otter release of aproximatly 120 as the be all and end all disaster to befall angling, following years of man made decimation of this animal, it ain’t.

 

Quote Nick Staples:

 

Bob, although your blog stops a little short of demanding that otters are done to death, you support others that do (John Wilson and his Predation Action Group). You also have a regular contributor (Lee Swords) to your blog that pairs up with you in attacking those that disagree with your posts who, only a couple of posts ago gave his support to otter culling. When many others were calling for otters to be shot etc. on your Facebook page you made no effort to censor this or criticise that attitude. So, it seems to most that by accepting these calls for culls you are supporting them….Either way, your comments that otters are alien is plainly ridiculous and the whole taste of your site is one of hypocrisy and a hatred for any fish predator other than fish eating fish….non-native predators such as zander you actually support!

 

As an angler I am disgusted with your attitude to native wildlife and I hope that your narrow minded posts don’t cause damage to our angling pastime.

Edited February 1, 2012 by barry luxton