Northwich Angling Club Seeks Support for Anti-Otter Park Petition
http://www.gopetition.com/online/28776.html
Please read the following message from Mark Leathwood, Head Bailiff, Northwich Anglers Association.
Dear All,
As you may already know, Northwich Anglers Association is currently campaigning against a proposal from the Weaver Valley Board to create an 'otter park' in the lower Weaver Valley between Winsford and Northwich.
The Environment Agency has conducted a survey which identified the presence of otters on the natural channel of the River Weaver as far north as Winsford. However, the character of the river downstream of Winsford is very different, as is the natural population of coarse fish.
Upstream of Winsford, where otters are naturally present, the fish population consists mainly of small silver fish such as roach, dace and small chub. Anglers would accept that these species form part of a natural food chain and regularly fall prey to herons and other predators. The population of silver fish is largely unaffected by predation from one year to the next because of successful natural recruitment.
The River Weaver downstream of Winsford is a much different proposition because of a significant increase in the diversity of species present, as well as the presence of much larger fish. The river is canalised and has very little natural flow. It holds specimen carp and pike, both of which are capable of attaining weights of 30 lbs. Also, there are shoals of good sized bream and quality tench present. We are beginning to see an increase in the numbers of specimen perch, which is most encouraging given that nationally, the species was ravaged by disease in the 1960s and has taken many years to re-establish.
Downstream of Winsford, there are many still water fisheries which are either connected to the river by streams or other watercourse, or lie close to its banks. These waters include one fishery in particular which holds carp in excess of 40 lb. in weight, making it quite unique in this part of the country. We are concerned that if otters are encouraged to populate the lower Weaver Valley, all of these still waters are potentially at risk from otter predation.
Big fish, such as our specimen carp and pike, really cannot be replaced by stocking juvenile fish from fish farms and, once they are gone, it could take decades for a fishery to recover. Anglers with an interest in specimen fish will not pay good money to target a venue which has lost its stock and so there are financial implications which go beyond the actual monetary value of the fish themselves.
Successful predators, such as herons, kingfishers, pike and perch, do not ‘eat themselves out of house and home’, and form part of a natural balance with the prey that supports them. The ratio between predator and prey is maintained from one year to the next, ensuring the survival of both. However, otters can be a different proposition. They do not confine themselves to killing only what they need to survive. They kill and maim specimen fish (if these are available to them), often ripping out and eating the guts before leaving the rest to rot.
Once they enter a fishery, otters often target the largest and slower moving fish first. There is plenty of evidence to support this, indeed, the booklet ‘Otters and Still water Fisheries’ published by the Environment Agency and the Wildlife Trusts acknowledges that:
“The majority of an otter’s diet, usually 70-80% is made up of fish, especially eels and other slow moving species. Larger fish hauled to the shoreline are unlikely to be eaten in their entirety, but may be partially stripped of flesh then discarded in situ”.
This exactly what has happened earlier this year at Willington Lake in Bedfordshire, a water controlled by Shefford and District Angling Association. I have been in touch with Colin Smith of Shefford & District AA, who tells me that the otters found their way in to Willington Lake from the Great Ouse which is only 50 yards away. The Great Ouse is widely acknowledged to have a problem with otter predation and this has had a devastating effect on the population of specimen barbel; including the killing of a former British record fish known as ‘The Traveller’. Colin also tells me that, “it appears that the biggest carp are often the first victims of otter predation. Our two largest fish, which fell victim to otters, would cost £10,000 to replace”.
It simply will not be possible to encourage an apex predator, such as the otter, to populate an area where it doesn’t naturally belong without dire consequences. It is like proposing the reintroduction of wolves, or bears to the lower Weaver Valley and expecting farmers not to get upset when their livestock - and their livelihood are threatened as a result.
The various bodies which have contributed to the ‘Otter Park’ proposal need to be reminded that the existing ecology of the River Weaver is of great importance and should not be simply swept aside to in order to enable the public to "focus upon a nationally protected animal", as has been suggested.
It would be nothing short of criminal to jeopardize the conservation of our fish stocks - simply because the public might have a greater appreciation of the fauna above the water’s surface than below it.
I cannot emphasize strongly enough, the strength of feeling within the angling community on this subject. We have begun a petition, in order to give individual members an opportunity to register their opposition to the idea of encouraging otters to populate the Weaver beyond their natural range. To date this has attracted several hundred signatures; and is growing by the day. The online petition may be found by following this link:
http://www.gopetition.com/online/28776.html
Please can I ask you to appeal to all your members via your websites, or by any other means you may have, to sign our petition. If you require blank paper copies I will be happy to send these to you.
Thank you for your valued support on this important issue.
Mark Leathwood
Head Bailiff
Northwich Anglers Association
