Problem Otters

[Paul in North Lincs 15]

I have a friend who owns a day ticket fishery.

 

An otter has chanced upon the bounty, and has been visiting in 2-3 nightly cycles, and has been pulling out huge 15 - 20lb fish and eating them....leaving the carcasses on the banks......

 

Very costly problem...........

 

Now I understand that otters may be protected, but surely something can be done. Can it legally be caught and relocated?

 

If so...what is the best way to deal with this?

 

thanks

 

Paul

[john b 38]

Well here is a start http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/publicati...ife/WML-A05.pdf

 

Clearly actually 'taking' any otters would be a bit drastic and I don't think anyone would support it. You may get permission to relocate somehow. However I think that it's unlikely they would grant a licence, certainly not straight off, and will push back on your mate to do more to exclude them.

 

Criteria are:

 

preventing serious damage to livestock, food for livestock, crops, vegetables, fruit, growing timber, or any other form of property or to fisheries,

preventing the spread of disease,

preserving public health or public safety.

 

 

 

For licences to prevent serious damage, applicants should be able to demonstrate the following:

1. 
   
   1. 
      
   2. evidence that serious damage is occurring or is likely to occur,
      
   3. non-lethal methods of preventing damage have been tried but have proved to be either ineffective or impracticable,
      
   4. the proposed licensed action will reduce, or prevent from increasing, the level of damage.
      

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[Paul in North Lincs 15]

just the job..................thanks alot

[Simoman 110]

Paul,

 

A friend working in the wolds saw a low level electric fence kept around a koi pond and when asked what is was for was told it had stopped the otters from taking the koi...........

[moley 115]

couple of weeks back i was asked to catch a mink that was killing carp at a fishery , mink don,t kill and eat 15- 24lb carp , told the baliff , he said would i set the cages anyway to prove it wasn,t a mink as he had caught 3 in the summer, 4 nights set and nothing but one stolen trap and another that someone had tryed to steal, the place is public and not the best place to hide stuff, he was going to get intouch with derfa for advice on sorting it out as the otter had killed and eated 110 carp in 14 months that they had found, i would think that qualifies for removal

[fishfish 17]

hell thats one expensive pest! 20lb carp is worth £2000.00!!!!!!

[moley 115]

hell thats one expensive pest! 20lb carp is worth £2000.00!!!!!!

 

tell me about it , baliff said the club membership is down 70% because of the fish kills

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Age old dillema though, isn't it, Moles? Take out that one, very expensive otter and what when the next one comes along?

 

So they either make otters a recognised pest of fisheries and grant General License to such places. Or someone gets rich quick by providing a workable Proofing Out system and service.

 

Cattle herds don't come cheap either ~ and look at badgers. So what chance of getting the nod on otters? Anti's will already be on the case, now it's appeared here, look. As otters continue their come back, so this sort of thing will increase. Something's going to have to give.

[ianrob 2]

I agree Ditch', will pig netting keep out otters. Just asking because increased prevention must be the way forward. ian.

[teknystoddy 0]

I know a guy who had Otters taking Rainbow Trout from his stocked flight ponds. He live trapped them and released them onto a local Salmon river. How short sighted is that?!

 

TT.

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

I agree Ditch', will pig netting keep out otters. Just asking because increased prevention must be the way forward. ian.

 

 

Pig Netting? If it's anything like it sounds, Ian; I.e. Stronger Sheep Netting? Not a hope in hell, obviously. Pigs though? Is it electrified? Ah! Now that makes me think of Fowl Fencing! These days ye can get small mesh, electrified fencing for fowls, see? I think the idea's more to keep the foxes out than the birds in, of course. Guess it just saves the uninnitiated f*ching around with the standard twin strands of straight wire?

 

Thing is though; Would any such stop a badger? I know from bitter, personal experience that a standard, battery powered electric fence won't stop a goat. I'm also given to believe an otter can prove every bit as much of a handful as a badger. So we have to ask: Will the usual level of electricity turn an otter away, however it's delivered? Frankly, I can't see much getting past a mains powered, full on fence. But would that be practical on this or most Fisheries?

 

I know what the govt. will say: 'You've paid out a fortune on these damn fish. Now, if ye pay another fortune on running mains power to them, ye CAN save them from otter depredation. Ipso fact, it's a goer and ye f*cking well do it! Leave The Otters Alone!'.

 

Can't, in all honesty, say I'd argue with them on that one, for once.

 

 

 

I know a guy who had Otters taking Rainbow Trout from his stocked flight ponds. He live trapped them and released them onto a local Salmon river. How short sighted is that?!

 

 

That's not short sightedness, mate. That's pure, unadulterated vindictiveness. No difference from putting shit through someones letter box. Only the shit could be picked up easily enough.

 

Saying that; Where does one rehabillitate the top fish predator in the land?

 

But then, ye see, this entire conversation's about people making money, isn't it? No one wants otters eating their fishes. Anyone in their right mind must applaud the creatures return. Just the few don't want them in their own back yards. And this is where I came in, look: Pest Control is facing the chance of a life time here.

[teknystoddy 0]

Very true DS, its back to argument of all things in balance. What is more valuable a Salmon population already under pressure, or a mans livlihood through his stocked fishery? Salmon for me every time Im afraid, but then again Im not trying to provide for my kids by selling daytickets. Neither was the knob who relocated the Otters, may I add. So what is the answer? Pest control and habitat improvement, until the population finds a natural balance? Bit of a pipe dream for the time being unfortunately.

 

 

TT.

[heart of wales 19]

Several places around this area have been devestated by otters moving in and wiping out fish stocks,they entered them ponds through sheep netting ,the problem you have is the otter like the badgers only enemy is man,there numbers will rise like badgers until it will be to late,would I be right in saying the only thing that will take a hedgehog is a badger or have they got other predators,because there is an endagered species if ever,I have not seen a hedgie for years not even a road casualty use to see loads as a kid.

[trappa 518]

Im jealous of you to be honest. Ive never seen an otter wild!!!!!

[Tyla 3,179]

Im jealous of you to be honest. Ive never seen an otter wild!!!!!

 

same here, would love to though