Sea trout.ducks slaughtered

[Sadung]

While walking in upper wear dale was watching Otters feasting on mallard duck also same weekend fishing at dusk otter taking sea trout.who in the right mind would reintroduce the otter which died out years ago.if it were a mink it could be killed for the same behaviour .full grown otter will eat 1.5 kg of food a day from local koi carp ducks peoples gardens,trout course fish seatrout salmon

[phill_itofish]

"Died out" i thought they were killed by man kind through us destroying and polluting there natural habitat! did we not clean up the rivers, so that there natural inhabitants would return, Sea Trout and Otters included.

[mark]

I live in the upper dale. the otters have returned on there own, not re-introduced, and there's only a couple of places they have been seen, and are welcomed, just like the recent increase in herons and kingfishers, which take a big number of juvenile trout and parr.

you sure its wasn't a mink? There have a been a few folks chicken runs been shredded by mink, which will kill just for the fun of it

otters are not known for taking ducks, especially when there are masses of fish in the river

IMHO a few otters will have very little impact on the fish in the river here, the numbers of migratory fish goes up every year

[Sadung]

Otters

Spoke to the guy who runs Stanhope angling club,I went to see him with a mink trap,he said don't bother with the trap its an otter.i described the size of its head while swimming to big for a mink.if you read on google what otters eat says ducks voles most things really .plenty more water to fish

[Bushwhacker]

I live in the upper dale. the otters have returned on there own, not re-introduced, and there's only a couple of places they have been seen, and are welcomed, just like the recent increase in herons and kingfishers, which take a big number of juvenile trout and parr.

you sure its wasn't a mink? There have a been a few folks chicken runs been shredded by mink, which will kill just for the fun of it

otters are not known for taking ducks, especially when there are masses of fish in the river

IMHO a few otters will have very little impact on the fish in the river here, the numbers of migratory fish goes up every year

Otters do take quite a few Ducks,especially ducklings.They will also take other water birds.There used to be a lot of Dabchicks (Little Grebes)around Durham and further downstream.They have all gone now since the Otters appeared.
I would rather have a couple of Otters on an area of water than the growing numbers of Cormorants which we now have on the Wear.
I actually used to go fishing a lot with a guy that helped reintroduce the Otters to the Wear.
As for Mink killing for fun.
They are just like a Fox,if given enough time they will take and stash everything they kill.But they are usually scared off before they can take everything.

[FISHERMAN]

We me personally think that otters swimming in are fresh waster rivers is a good thing it's a lovely animal and can only mean one thing. And that is are waters are getting cleaner wich in turn is a good thing insted of over polluted rivers wich are not good for the inviroment

[Alfie]

The problem is nature needs to be balanced and unfortunately otters are spreading fast with no predation. They are now widespread around Newcastle and are decimating fish stocks in some of the smaller rivers such as the Wansbeck, Pont and Blyth. Fishery owners in other parts of the country are either having to spend thousands on otter proof fencing or, as some have done, just close down.

[johnny h]

As well as Ducks have seen Otters take Myxied Rabbits from a local Supermarket car-park!

[johnny h]

By the way Mark (moderator), this was def a big dog Otter not a Mink. It killed about 15 to 20 Rabbits and left with one!

[mick dunn]

We went to the Isle of Mull in Scotland with one of my wifes intentions of trying to photograph a wild otter. We tried all week to find a one but to no avail. They are very popular there and are a boon to the travel industry.
Wonder how much fish a comorant takes compared to an otter ?.

Mick.

[billynobaits]

By the way Mark (moderator), this was def a big dog Otter not a Mink. It killed about 15 to 20 Rabbits and left with one!

Yup.thugs them otters.I saw one kill a hereford bull,that must
have weighed best part of a ton,in a field in Kirkudbright.
All it took was the ring out of its nose the ba$tard!

[johnny h]

Well billy, what a funny clever fuc+++ you are, awaiting another witty response!

[billynobaits]

Well billy, what a funny clever fuc+++ you are, awaiting another witty response!

Eeh,sorry Johnny,i thought it was a game of who could tell the
biggest lie!

[lumpsucker]

Scotland has had beavers reintroduced too. Theres talk of wolves next, then bears.

[razors]

We went to the Isle of Mull in Scotland with one of my wifes intentions of trying to photograph a wild otter. We tried all week to find a one but to no avail. They are very popular there and are a boon to the travel industry.
Wonder how much fish a comorant takes compared to an otter ?.

Mick.

How many wives u got Mick lad