In reply to Post #53
I can understand that. It's probably a maturity thing?
Watched a documentary once about a guy who fished for white sharks, bigger the better, used to catch them and hang them in the docks. Turned into one of the major voices for the conservation of them, possibly a guilt trip in his case?
My passion is different. If I am watching something that has been swimming around in its own world for years and the circumstances change not of its own doing, that concerns me. Ottter comes along or something that's quite a few years old and defence less to them, no comparison for me. They will be like rats soon, everywhere
I can understand that. It's probably a maturity thing?
Watched a documentary once about a guy who fished for white sharks, bigger the better, used to catch them and hang them in the docks. Turned into one of the major voices for the conservation of them, possibly a guilt trip in his case?
My passion is different. If I am watching something that has been swimming around in its own world for years and the circumstances change not of its own doing, that concerns me. Ottter comes along or something that's quite a few years old and defence less to them, no comparison for me. They will be like rats soon, everywhere
Sitting behind an otter fenced fishery was something I never dreamed I would be doing (I wish I never had to) but everytime I visit our little syndicate lake fully fenced I now sit there with a smile on my face rather than dread.
The guy who shot the otter in public deserves everything he gets.
The guy who shot the otter in public deserves everything he gets.
In reply to Post #59
Don't apologise, this one's a baiter.
Don't apologise, this one's a baiter.
In reply to Post #60
Hi Wandle, long time lurker on the forum and thought I'd finally dip my toe into actually posting. I totally understand your frustration and despair with the otter situation - I myself have been at the sharp end, including finding a very old target fish I had been stalking on and off for two weeks, freshly dragged up the bank that morning with it's throat ripped out. Also as a lifelong thames angler, we now have to contend with otters turning up on areas we have baited, drawn in by the fish we are baiting for...
I would though respectfully like to question your linking of re-wilding and otter and beaver introductions. True re-wilding is simply creating the habitat for native species to return and allowing them to do so in their own time, as in the Knepp project. Releasing apex predators all over the shop with no plan is just bad practice. A lot of people in the conservation world are waking up to this, and beginning to appreciate the importance of making sure local rural communities are consulted and on-board, and can see the benefits that re-wilding projects might bring - but due to things like the otter situation, this is now obviously an uphill struggle...
I feel for you in Kernow - where I am it seems the big wild unfenced pits will have their fish numbers reduced but not totally wiped out, and the thames will always have it's fish. Smaller waters though are not so lucky. As for the beavers, I know they destroy trees, but surely as anglers we could appreciate an animal that creates more wetland habitat? Their dams also act as filters, purifying river water as it passes through them, and if they reduce flooding, even better no? I am not here to argue and would really appreciate to hear why you are against the beavers - is it because they were released privately without consultation? Personally I am an angler first and a conservationist second - we live in a crowded country and our wildflife is our most important asset, and anything that promotes and enhances that is good in my eyes, as long as it's done SENSIBLY. That said, beavers on the Thames around some major population centres might be quite funny
Cheers, Nick
Hi Wandle, long time lurker on the forum and thought I'd finally dip my toe into actually posting. I totally understand your frustration and despair with the otter situation - I myself have been at the sharp end, including finding a very old target fish I had been stalking on and off for two weeks, freshly dragged up the bank that morning with it's throat ripped out. Also as a lifelong thames angler, we now have to contend with otters turning up on areas we have baited, drawn in by the fish we are baiting for...
I would though respectfully like to question your linking of re-wilding and otter and beaver introductions. True re-wilding is simply creating the habitat for native species to return and allowing them to do so in their own time, as in the Knepp project. Releasing apex predators all over the shop with no plan is just bad practice. A lot of people in the conservation world are waking up to this, and beginning to appreciate the importance of making sure local rural communities are consulted and on-board, and can see the benefits that re-wilding projects might bring - but due to things like the otter situation, this is now obviously an uphill struggle...
I feel for you in Kernow - where I am it seems the big wild unfenced pits will have their fish numbers reduced but not totally wiped out, and the thames will always have it's fish. Smaller waters though are not so lucky. As for the beavers, I know they destroy trees, but surely as anglers we could appreciate an animal that creates more wetland habitat? Their dams also act as filters, purifying river water as it passes through them, and if they reduce flooding, even better no? I am not here to argue and would really appreciate to hear why you are against the beavers - is it because they were released privately without consultation? Personally I am an angler first and a conservationist second - we live in a crowded country and our wildflife is our most important asset, and anything that promotes and enhances that is good in my eyes, as long as it's done SENSIBLY. That said, beavers on the Thames around some major population centres might be quite funny
Cheers, Nick
In reply to Post #35
Yeah because we can all do that cant we! are you serious?
Yeah because we can all do that cant we! are you serious?
In reply to Post #64
Great post, makes a lot of sense to me. Especially the start of your last paragraph
Great post, makes a lot of sense to me. Especially the start of your last paragraph
In reply to Post #65
I think a concensus is growing in this thread that fisheries will have to use fencing for protection and find the funding for it. Trapping and shooting of Otter is not an option and will never be. Get past it.
I think a concensus is growing in this thread that fisheries will have to use fencing for protection and find the funding for it. Trapping and shooting of Otter is not an option and will never be. Get past it.
In reply to Post #67
You missed out the word legally.
You missed out the word legally.
In reply to Post #68
In reply to Post #68
Lake owner prison for shooting Otter.
Maybe add "Threat of angling ban grows".
Killing of protected indigenous wildlife to protect invasive introduced species blamed.
Lake owner prison for shooting Otter.
Maybe add "Threat of angling ban grows".
Killing of protected indigenous wildlife to protect invasive introduced species blamed.
The OP about the individual in question is think is mostly accepted that he was stupid and his punishment is deserved.
On the wider issue of fencing to prevent otters and predation it strikes me as simple. You wouldn't leave a 40 grand car unlocked if you knew there were theives about would you?
Investment to protect assets is basic business sense and taking to illegal responses when it goes wrong if you haven't prepared is not the answer.
On the wider issue of fencing to prevent otters and predation it strikes me as simple. You wouldn't leave a 40 grand car unlocked if you knew there were theives about would you?
Investment to protect assets is basic business sense and taking to illegal responses when it goes wrong if you haven't prepared is not the answer.
In reply to Post #71
Difference is mate a 40k car at my age cost about £600 to insure fully comp
Difference is mate a 40k car at my age cost about £600 to insure fully comp
In reply to Post #71
What would you know about basic business sense, bloody hippy
What would you know about basic business sense, bloody hippy
In reply to Post #65
Deadly serious mate.
If a business, hobby or vanity project isn't financially or logistically viable then why torture yourself?
You'd have thought nature will restore some sort of balance in numbers eventually, problem is the carp being held captive with no predation deterrent are A) easy pickings. B) unnaturally numerous and C) often replaced with new stock once decimated
Deadly serious mate.
If a business, hobby or vanity project isn't financially or logistically viable then why torture yourself?
You'd have thought nature will restore some sort of balance in numbers eventually, problem is the carp being held captive with no predation deterrent are A) easy pickings. B) unnaturally numerous and C) often replaced with new stock once decimated
In reply to Post #74
Yes the point really being that in a natural ecological environment a balance would be achieved when the predators overtook their prey limit.
This does not happen if we keep restocking with big fat easy prey fish.
Otters would not reproduce and thrive at the rate they are if it was a. Natural environment like it was a few thousand years ago.
Yes the point really being that in a natural ecological environment a balance would be achieved when the predators overtook their prey limit.
This does not happen if we keep restocking with big fat easy prey fish.
Otters would not reproduce and thrive at the rate they are if it was a. Natural environment like it was a few thousand years ago.