Predation Action Group

Press Release

The Formation of the Predation Action Group

There is a growing feeling of concern in angling circles, particularly among those anglers concerned with salmon, barbel, carp and specialist fishing regarding the impact of predation by signal crayfish, cormorants, otters and, possibly to a lesser extent, mink on fish stocks in this country. There is a consensus that over the last 15 years the impact of cormorants on small fish in lakes and rivers has been significant. Historically otters’ main food sources have been small fish in rivers, but that food source has been seriously depleted by the impact of cormorants. As a result otters have started to look elsewhere for their food supplies and there is a growing body of evidence that their diet increasingly includes large, valuable specimen fish, including salmon, carp and barbel. The feeling is that it is no coincidence that the impact of otters has coincided with the policy of rearing them in captivity and releasing them into the wild, with little or no regard for a prior assessment of the food sources available to them.
Following a series of public and private meetings between interested parties the Predation Action Group has been formed. At this stage the aims of the group are simply to make a serious study of the impact of predators on fish stocks with a view to preparing a report on the subject. The Action Group needs support on two fronts, firstly in terms of reports from anyone who has suffered at the hands (claws or beaks) of predators, and secondly in terms of financial support. Hopefully the Action Group will be able to put together a strong enough case to convince higher authorities that predators are indeed having a serious impact on fish stocks and that the future of angling in some locations is under threat. If you feel you can help than we need to hear from you. This is a serious issue and one which needs addressing urgently.
The committee representing the Predator Action Group consists of: Chairman, Danny Fairbrass, Mike Heylin of the Angling Trust, plus Ruth Lockwood of ECHO, John Wilson MBE, Martin Bowler, Keith Wesley, Chris Logsdon, John Slader of the Salmon and Trout Association, Tony Gibson, Martin Read, Dave Goodwin and Press Officer Tim Paisley.
You can communicate with the Predation Action Group via email at: info@predationactiongroup.co.uk or by post at: Predation Action Group PO Box 6313, Essex SS14 0HW.
All communications will be treated in confidence, if requested, but it is essential that we gather as much scientific and anecdotal material as possible about the impact of predators to enable us to prepare a comprehensive report for submission to the Angling Trust, the Environment Agency and Government departments. There is a growing body of evidence that predators are killing angling. If you can help by presenting scientific or anecdotal evidence, including pictures, or giving financial support then please get in touch with us.

It's a good idea and I hope it succeeds.

Even though the EA is supposed to have relaxed the proof required for getting consent to cull cormorants, I understand the process is lengthy and not many people succeed in getting a licence.

As for otters, I think anglers should abandon any idea of culling them. The general public would react strongly against any proposed cull. Also I don't think reducing the numbers of this indigenous species will improve fishing on most waters.

Many thanks for putting this info on site Ruth,it is much appreciated,for im stating to wonder who is going first me or the fish that id hoped my children would fish for,especially on the rivers.

Ruth,

I am very pleased to at last see some form of serious approach to the great problem of predation, especially on our rivers, and I wish you all the very best in your endeavours.

My one concern though is; why is this not an Angling Trust (ATr) initiative?

Seemingly, a number of the names you have listed are connected with the ATr in one way or another, and to me it appears to be an ideal study for the ATr to undertake on behalf of the membership.

Regarding financial assistance, would you let me know (by PM on here) what sort of assistance the group are seeking?

I fear the trust are struggling so badly,the future may be bleak,i listened to FISHERMANS BLUES this morning,hearing Kieth Arthur talking of three volunteers basically running the trust.There was a fella having a bash at anglers,at the thought of a supposed cull(which wasnt actually mentioned),the one thing that really bothers me is that people care passionately for the otter,without understanding that our waterways must be sufficiently healthy in wildlife terms to be able to sustain the otter,fish and all invertabrate life,oh well,when there are only a few starving otters left perhaps people other than anglers will believe,killing abhors me,but so does the human need for morally looking to bring back the dodo.

alan whittington said:

I fear the trust are struggling so badly,the future may be bleak,i listened to FISHERMANS BLUES this morning,hearing Kieth Arthur talking of three volunteers basically running the trust......

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I think Keith's exagerating. A few months ago I attended an evening meeting at which a full time employee of the Angling Trust made a round trip of about 300 miles to address the anglers present.

I'm not sure why anglers are so negative about the good work the Angling Trust is doing.

Keith2...'cos we're British,thats why...we love to see failure and say'I told you so'instead of trying to be positive and give the thing a chance!

I hope this effort by the poster of this Thread is supported 100% but if the response to the Angling Trust is anything to go by I have my doubts!

An example is the response by some to the new Coalition Government,particularly the media who seem to revel in any opportunity to slag it off!(Mr Snow of Channel 4 news is a good example!!)it may not be what you want but if it works for the country-does it matter??

Why don't we give these people a chance to succeed instead of condeming them to failure without a second thought-after all they are doing it for our benefit,aren't they???

I was gobsmacked at the individuals who missed the meeting!!!

With no apology.....?

Good on the ones who did turn up though.

Excellent effort Ruth. At last we have an action group. These problems have been too many and too serious to ignore any longer.

Paul Boote said:

Yeah right. It's just that some Anglers - many more than the Meeja Men and Vested Interest P.A.G. Jeremiahs could ever imagine - simply won't treat with people whose actions could lose Angling its long-time "They're basically harmless ... leave 'em alone" status with the great, fickle, nowadays quick to turn mind-bogglingly vicious and vindictive, British Public. "Navel picking"? Yes, I suppose some of us are - when we find ourselves being represented by self-appointed sorts who we immediately suspect are, at worst, attention-seeking, politically motivated fools, and, at best, worryingly naive and totally innocent of how Britain and the British are these days. Anyway, feel free to carry on here in my absence.

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How and by whom should we be represented by then Paul.

Oh and bythe way......have you got a pikemaster mk11 stashed away somewhere? :wh

This is a cause the Angling Trust should be involved with and I am fully behind Ruth and the Predation Action Group, no matter who they are!

It's a great shame two main bodies didn't attend the meeting!

If the slaughter of mostly big fish had been taking place in the mid 80's I do wonder whether you would be holding the same apathetic opinions as you do now.

Don't get me wrong Ruth or John
BUT

Aren't the EA/NE/AT already doing this via the Wildlife Management Group.?


Oh and John before you use emotive words like "slaughter", what's happened to the big fish's smaller bretheren, they weren't/aren't there, who/what, were they slaughtered by?

Fundemental problems existed before, and do now to affect reproduction,start there first and work on to the predators,if they are stuill a problem when we have a thriving fish population in all of our rivers

I asked John, because the Great Ouse is often mentioned as are the Thames tributaries, surely the cormorant have eaten all those fish under 10lb then?
Assuming of course, that all fish above that size have been eaten by the otter!

I'll wait for Ruth then, as she will know the answer I'm sure, to my question.

Aren't the EA/NE/AT already doing this via the Wildlife Management Group.?

Thanks for the various words of support for this initiative.

Fred, it is fair to say that AT regularly attend "talks" with EA, NE and the Wildlife Trusts regarding the BAP for Otters. What the PAG hope to do is to collate a wider range of facts and science to proivide a clear "pro-fish" (not "anti-otter") stance without draining AT's already precious resources.

The PAG is a group of volunteers looking to working closely with AT & S&TA and other bodies to deliver this "pro-fish" position on behalf of angling and fisheries interests on all issues of predation, now and in the future.

Our next meeting is early June, I'll keep you posted.

Thanks again