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It is now five years since DEFRA turned down, finally and irrevocably, the SAA plea to stop otter predation by funding fencing for fisheries protection,. No matter that stocks of specimen fish are at times being decimated by the returning otter population, the hard truth is that we as anglers do not have enough political clout to demand protection. Ask Government to find £5 or £10M to stop a precious painting from going abroad and no problem, but £250,000 a year to protect the interests of 2 million anglers is apparently impossible to find!

Since then we have heard of a catalogue of unchecked otter predation at fisheries, which we are powerless as anglers to stop. On the SAA stand at angling shows our material on otter predation draws out dozens of stories from all over the UK, of prime fish killed by otters. I take many phone calls too throughout the year generated from our web site on, highlighting exactly the same issues.

Primarily this is specimen carp to over 30lb, which are particularly vulnerable in winter when they tend to lie semi-dormant and make an easy target for otters. Not carp only though by any means; pike, double figure Barbel from rivers such as the Derwent, big eels and Tench, all species are vulnerable. Some fisheries have been ruined by such predation, and there is enormous frustration from the anglers who fish such waters that they can do nothing to stop this. Otters are fully protected by law of course, you cannot move them, disturb them or harm them in any way whatsoever.

We fully support the return in numbers of the otter to the UK. But, you cannot reintroduce a top flight predator into the managed environment that is Britain today, without considering the consequences. SAA have worked closely with, and have the full support of English Nature, the Environment Agency, Wildlife Trusts, and the Otter BAPS Group. We are all agreed that "the protection of large valuable fish" is of paramount importance, and that "we must avoid conflict between anglers and other conservation bodies". We should not be placed in the position where we as anglers have to stand back whilst our fisheries are ruined; that is morally wrong!

So what’s the answer? The only solution is to protect key fisheries with otter proof fencing, (which can only be used to still-waters, I am sorry that we have no solution for rivers). The EA funded a SAA study from Forest Research and The Otter Consultancy to establish the most cost effective fencing to keep otters out of specimen still-water fisheries, with variations designed to suit varying situations and soil types. Comprehensive tests were conducted at an otter sanctuary using different fencing materials and the researchers also studied the practicalities of installation. The results are shown on the SAA website www.saauk.org. and EA websites.

Fencing isn’t cheap however, even a 5 acre water would cost in the region of £5,000, and a 20 acre water could need £12-15,000! This is for materials alone, then labour too for installation to be paid for, or provided by anglers. Realistically none but a very few fisheries will ever be able to afford such fencing, which is where Government funding comes in; otters were actively encouraged back in numbers, but we should not have to sacrifice our sport to support this. (Bear in mind we are seeking funding for selected fisheries to cover 70/80% of the costs involved, not the full costs; it is right we contribute towards each installation, or owners will want to fence in every single pond in the country, which isn’t practical).

Recently I was presented with a typical example of how otter predation of specimen fish affects us all, not just carp. This one differs only in that it is so well documented. I was contacted by Mark Casto, Bailiff for Bungay Cherry Tree Angling Club, who are losing large numbers of big fish to otters. I’ll let Mark tell the story.

"I regret to have to report that the Otter problem is taking a turn for the worse since I last spoke to you. We’ve had several days of otters being seen in the Broom Pits and the remains of a dead pike and Tench found and photographed but the fish were too far gone to be of much proof. This evening however it was reported to me that a club member who was fishing at night caught a large Tench about 8-9lb in weight, a fish to be proud of indeed. However as he was about to land it a large otter attacked it and nearly took the club members rod out of his hands. He told me how the poor Tench was dragged into the bushes by the otter and he could hear it crunching the fish as it ate it. He saw the otter very clearly when it took the fish.

Shortly after the EA had left my good friend Martin caught a lovely brace of Tench both over 8lbs and pointed out to me the otter damage to one of the fishes tail. (Typical otter damage-CB)

 "Mark Casto with a lovely 8lb 6oz fish-alive for how long though?"

In addition to the pike and Tench kills on Broome Pits we now have the ironic situation where a re-introduced species (the otters) are eating prime specimens of an endangered species too-eels! The remains of a freshly killed eel were found which weighed 5lb 4oz, which as you can see from the photos is about 3ft long, a real specimen in fact which would have weighed over 6lb. Eels of course were the otters food of choice when eels were more common.

Yet the eel population has dropped drastically, with eel recruitment in the UK down to 30% of what it was historically, and on a European scale the situation is even worse, a mere 1-2% of what it was. This fish at 5/6lb would probably be over 60 years old, and only a very small percentage of the eel population ever make it through to this weight.

A European initiative was launched in the 90’s to promote the return of the otter through the BAPS Group, but otters are now contributing to undermining the latest European initiative to rescue the eel from the threat of extinction. So Government help and cash have gone to support otters, which in turn are now contributing to the demise of another threatened species, eels! Government paid to help otters, they should pay to protect specimen fish too-or are fish ruled out simply because they don’t have voter appeal through being "warm and cuddly" like otters?

The first description I ever read on otter predation was by Fred Sykes, about losing all his carp to otters, which I mentally summed up as "the death of a fishery", 20 years of effort lost. Mark Casto’s description has a similar impact; we cannot accept the wholesale deaths of specimen fish.

Both DEFRA and Sport England rejected our plea’s for cash for otter-proof fencing, the only avenue we had, so where now? Well, SAA have always enjoyed a good rapport with the EA and we have all benefited from the regular dialogue, meetings and exchange of ideas we have with them. As outlined earlier, the EA have supported our stance on otters throughout, and subsequently paid for the research programme we badly needed to define precisely what methods and types of fencing would keep otters out. We have again approached EA Fisheries with a plea for help; after all, they have the remit "to maintain, improve and develop fisheries" and to "promote angling", so protecting fisheries should be viewed as part of their brief. We have nowhere else to go.

Adrian Taylor of the EA has agreed that the funding issue must be addressed. Initially, he has advised that;

So the door is now open for a large number of waters at least to protect their fisheries from the ravages of otter predation. We must also look beyond this to ensure all specimen fisheries at risk are able to obtain financial support, and we look to the EA to include a submission for much, much more funding, to cover fence costs for a wide range of waters. Without this many more large fish will be killed and we have no way of preventing it.

Those waters now suffering fish kills from otters must face the reality of an ongoing problem; install fencing or face long-term fish kills. Best of luck, and if we can help, do let me know via email on otters@saauk.org.

Chris Burt, SAA.

This whole article appeared in the Specialist Anglers Alliance news letter this year and has been reproduced with kind permission from Chris Burt of the SAA.

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A comment from Roy Webster in the EDP concerning otter predation.

So the question tormenting the carp enthusiasts is: If there is a record specimen in the River Wensum will an otter kill it before an angler can achieve the lifetime dream?

The portents are not good. A sizeable barbel was discovered dead and partly eaten on the banks of the River Wensum, and there is every likelihood there could be a repeat at any time.

This is a comparatively new development because the otter population plunged due to hunting with dogs, and the harsh winter of 1962/63 before becoming seriously depleted further during the coypu extermination campaign when they were accidentally trapped and drowned in the wire cages.

The Otter Trust at Earsham kick-started the population of this engaging creature, much-loved by the general public with a breeding programme that resulted in a total of 117 of these attractive indigenous mammals being released into the wild with a small percentage of them being distributed in Norfolk and Suffolk between 1983 and 1999 .

From the public's point of view this was a hugely successful exercise in restoring one of their more loveable wild beasts, but now anglers and fishery bosses are agitating for an otter cull, an issue often covered in the national angling media.

However, at the Norfolk Wildlife Trust Gemma Walker warns: "The otter is a protected European species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act and it is a very serious offence to take, injure, kill or otherwise disturb its resting place or the holt where it is likely to give birth.

"In addition a Defra licence is required to carry out any action likely to disturb an otter's general habitat so I would warn all anglers and fishery owners that they should not take the law into their own hands for the penalties for any violations of the Act are severe."

Already some commercial fisheries have successfully protected their stocks from otters by installing wire fencing but this seems impractical on a flowing river.

For information on protecting fish against predatory mammals and birds consult the Defra website.