Otters

[Rutilus.Bobicus]

For those that haven't read Angling Times this week, there's an article on page 2 that is a little disturbing.
The corpse of a 12lb fish was found on the banks of Redmire with the tell-tale signs of an otter attack (gills and throat ripped out).

Otters and their tracks have been spotted on the riverbanks about a mile from Redmire and it appears one has taken a liking to Redmire's legendary carp. Hopefully this is a 'one-off' and can be dealt with quickly.

[The Sweetcorn Kid]

There is a thread with more details over on the Redmire site, sroll on a bit and you'll see the comments from the people involved.......

http://www.redmirepool.biz/forum/viewtopic.php?t=886

[St.John]

Talks are underway about otter fencing going up in the near future. I'm sure Rob or Nick will make an official announcement soon.

[The Sweetcorn Kid]

On Facebook I just read that this weeks Carp-Talk has a feature on Otter fencing at redmire......Anyone read it yet?

[St.John]

No, can't imagine what they'll say about it tho! As it stands at the mo have electric fencing along the dam (established as the point of entry) and are relying on the existing perimeter fence to be enough of a deterrent. Whether this is sufficient we will see, but les, Rob and the family belive that it should be ok. No other fish have been lost, and it is believed that redmire is at the very tip of the otters territory. If this does not prove adequate then a more permanent fence will have to be erected. Fingers are crossed.

[Kingfisher]

I sent an email to Charles Rangely Wilson yesterday about otters.

I'm further up the wye In Llandridnod wells, I've read the posts on the Redmire forum but obviously was unable to reply because i'm not registered on there.

Last year I originally emailed Charles Because I was worried that otter were responsible for the dissapearence of all the chub in my river. It was just before the end of the season but a friend of mine who'd never caught a chub asked me if I'd gilly for him and hopefully get him his first. I was happy to do so and we set off to my favourite chub spot. it used to be that you could walk along the river here and you'd see numerous chub but that day I walked a mile and found none. I remembered the article in the AT about the increase in otter numbers and on the wye (the ithon is a tributary) the numbers were said to have risen by 95%.

I don't want to be a scare-monger but I've even whitnessed otter in town here at night nipping from garden to garden to get fish, I think they'd only do that if the river had run out of food and it's my belief that it nearly has.

Just the other day, I was invited by a farmer friend with My Dad to go and fish a small pool of his which nobody fished. upon setting up I found otter prints and carp scales all over the bank and that pool is a good way from the river up on the A44 Forestry bends as you enter wales. The rudd were still there. I also had a friend with pools over at Hereford and this is going back 5 years but a pool i fished there, one morning i went down fishing and found that an otter had taken two large carp over night and returned the following night for more only to get scared off by myself with a torch.

Llandrindod Lake last year had a family of otter coming for swimming lessons in the day time with people walking around, they aren't scared of people and will enter the water with very little noise, you wouldn't even know they'd been.

So like I said, I'm not scare- mongering I love otters but I've had enough of this now they're spoiling my fishing at most places I go and I don't even think the EA are aware of the true numbers around here. Charles Rangely Wilson has told me to phone or email the EA and speak to someone about it. So I'll be emailing them tomorrow. I honestly thin they're a bigger problem than people suspect.

[Snape]

I sent an email to Charles Rangely Wilson yesterday about otters.

I'm further up the wye In Llandridnod wells, I've read the posts on the Redmire forum but obviously was unable to reply because i'm not registered on there.

Last year I originally emailed Charles Because I was worried that otter were responsible for the dissapearence of all the chub in my river. It was just before the end of the season but a friend of mine who'd never caught a chub asked me if I'd gilly for him and hopefully get him his first. I was happy to do so and we set off to my favourite chub spot. it used to be that you could walk along the river here and you'd see numerous chub but that day I walked a mile and found none. I remembered the article in the AT about the increase in otter numbers and on the wye (the ithon is a tributary) the numbers were said to have risen by 95%.

I don't want to be a scare-monger but I've even whitnessed otter in town here at night nipping from garden to garden to get fish, I think they'd only do that if the river had run out of food and it's my belief that it nearly has.

Just the other day, I was invited by a farmer friend with My Dad to go and fish a small pool of his which nobody fished. upon setting up I found otter prints and carp scales all over the bank and that pool is a good way from the river up on the A44 Forestry bends as you enter wales. The rudd were still there. I also had a friend with pools over at Hereford and this is going back 5 years but a pool i fished there, one morning i went down fishing and found that an otter had taken two large carp over night and returned the following night for more only to get scared off by myself with a torch.

Llandrindod Lake last year had a family of otter coming for swimming lessons in the day time with people walking around, they aren't scared of people and will enter the water with very little noise, you wouldn't even know they'd been.

So like I said, I'm not scare- mongering I love otters but I've had enough of this now they're spoiling my fishing at most places I go and I don't even think the EA are aware of the true numbers around here. Charles Rangely Wilson has told me to phone or email the EA and speak to someone about it. So I'll be emailing them tomorrow. I honestly thin they're a bigger problem than people suspect.

Very interesting and worrying observations Kingfisher.
Get yourself registered on the Redmire forum though....

[Trevor]

The EA's 2010 otter survey shows the extent to which otters have spread in recent years.
For those not already aware of it, the Predation Action Group has been set up to research and report on the growing threat otters present to fish stocks, as well as cormorants and signal crayfish.

Kingfisher, they may be interested in hearing your findings.

Further information at: http://www.thepredationactiongroup.co.uk

[Gurn]

Have to agree with CC on this one, there doesn't seem to be much 'action' at all from the P.A.G..It all seems a tad like 'locking the stable door after the horse has bolted' I'm afraid. Oh, and while we are about it. I personally feel that the preventative measures at Redmire are ( from what I have read) inadequate. I hope it doesn't end up the same way as Ashlea Pool did.

[Davyr]

Looking at the high profile of many of the anglers pledging support for the PAG, I must say I'm surprised at their naivety in describing the otter as "a giant predatory, aquatic rat with Doberman like-teeth".