ANGLERS UPSET AS OTTERS STEAL FISH

A Pair of otters have upset anglers by stealing fish from a stocked loch on Harrods boss Mohamed al Fayed's Easter Ross estate.

Kildary Angling Club, which has around 130 members, has just spent around ?700 on stocking Kildary Loch with 260 rainbow trout. But a pair of otters have been seen feasting on the fish that club members had been hoping to catch.

Gordon Robertson, estate manager of Mr al Fayed's Balnagown Estate, at Kildary, near Tain, yesterday said that, although the Harrods chairman owned the loch, which is close to the A9 Inverness-Thurso road, he had always encouraged its use by the local community.

"We are pleased that the angling club has had the opportunity to use the loch to create enjoyment and employment but clearly, as otters have begun to re-establish themselves in this part of the world, they are going to go to where it's easiest to catch fish. There's been lots of PR about promoting otters, but their success is bound to have an impact," he said.

Mr Robertson suggested that, as otters were a highly protected species, it may be best for the angling club to ask Scottish Natural Heritage if they could be relocated. He added that the estate would be happy to help in any way possible.

Angling club treasurer Robin Nairn said they were not happy with the situation, but felt helpless to act. He said: "It's a real problem but we're realistic enough to know that we can't do anything about it. Even if they could be relocated, the chances are that others would turn up in their place."

Mr Nairn said otters took fish from the loch every year, but the pair spotted this year seemed to be more brazen about it.

He said a dead otter, which had apparently been hit by a vehicle, had recently been found beside the A9, but it was not known whether it was one of the pair seen taking fish from Kildary Loch.

The loch was featured on a BBC fishing programme for its environmental attractions and is a popular place for local people to walk.

A spokesman for SNH said otters were protected under the 1994 conservation regulations and the Scottish Executive would have to grant a licence for them to be relocated.

He added that this would only be done if it could be proved that they were causing serious damage to livestock or, in this case, fish stocks.

Well as much as i feel bad for the guy, I would think that one would calculate otters into the equation when deciding how much fish is needed and how much you are going to spend. Too bad he doesnt live in the States. Old laws protecting farmers say that you can shoot any animal if its a danger to your livestock. I don't know about endangered species though....

That's nature. They are making use of whats around them. I say good luck to the otters.

'but the pair spotted this year seemed to be more brazen about it.'

I wonder what were they doing to seem more brazen?

Perhaps waving the fish in the air and shouting 'cooeee, look what I've got, ner ner de ner ner!'

"Anglers have upset a pair of otters He said a dead otter, which had apparently been hit by a vehicle, had recently been found beside the A9, but it was not known whether it was one of the pair seen taking fish from Kildary Loch.

Oldest gamekeeper trick in the book: shoot offending protected animal, chuck it in Land Rover, and leave it on the side of the road so people think it's been run over.

In fact, the way the story is written it is almost as if Mr Nairn is hinting that if nothing's done, this will be their fate.

Too bad he doesnt live in the States. Old laws protecting farmers say that you can shoot any animal if its a danger to your livestock

That was a good law, wasn't it? Led to the annihilation of all predatory mammals over 60% of the land mass of the US, curtailing the population and range of, say, cougar by 80%.

I'm afraid this poster was right about just having to factor in some fish losses to otters - doesn't have to be trout; they tell me small carp are plentiful, and utterly worthless...

Hey I dont hate otters and I dont hunt, I was just saying. I didn't say that I liked the law either. One of my favorite predatory mammals, the gray wolf, practically no longer exists in New England. I was just relating.

Mike, I was agreeing with you, not accusing you of anything.I just wanted to make the point that much of the destruction of North American wildlife was the result of a shoot-on-sight policy.

Grey wolf? Now there's something to keep the otters away.

Oh I'm sorry, I thought you were. Its hard to tell when you are looking at writing instead of hearing people voices and tones.

Appeal launched after otter found shot in East Yorkshire

Environment Agency officers are appealing for information after an otter was found shot in East Yorkshire.

The body of the adult male was found at Frodingham Beck, near Driffield and was reported to an Environment Agency river bailiff by a member of the public.

The otter had been killed with a shot to the head and his body left by the beck, but a post-mortem showed that he had been shot before.

The examination showed that on a separate occasion, the 10-kilo otter had survived a gunshot wound to his leg which had become infected.

Environment Agency conservationist Martin Christmas said: ?It is unbelievable that anyone should kill one of these beautiful creatures. The otter is a protected species which makes this crime even more
appalling.

?Otters are one of our biggest conservation success stories, and a lot of work has been done to encourage the species back to our waterways. It is important that we catch this criminal and we are urging the public to help us.?

The team say they have no idea who killed the animal, however this is the second time that they have received reports of a dead otter shot in the Driffield area.

On the first occasion, in February, officers went to the site to collect the corpse for a post-mortem but the body had been removed by the time they arrived.

Environment Agency officers then received a second report of a dead otter last month. On this occasion they were able to retrieve the body and send it away for a post-mortem, and the results have just come back.

The Environment Agency has been working with local wildlife trusts and water companies to improve water quality, riverbank habitats and wetlands to help otter populations establish and grow.

The species eat mainly fish and are members of the Mustelid family which includes badgers, polecats, martens, weasels, stoats and mink.

There are 13 known species of otter in the world but the only one found in the UK is the European (or Eurasian) otter.

The Environment Agency has now passed the case on to Humberside Police. Anyone with information should contact Sgt Christopher Hine at Bridlington police station on 01262 458751.