On fish predation by Cormorants and Otters

It's a truism that fish get eaten - mostly by other fish and very often with the active encouragement of anglers. There are a host of predators queuing up to chomp on our freshwater fish. Pike, Perch, Trout, chub, Barbel and Catfish, followed by Heron's, Ospreys, Kingfishers, 4 species of Grebe's, Mergansers, Goosanders, Divers, not to mention Rats, Cats, Mink and even Foxes but there are two species who seem to track anglers ire in particular Cormorants and Otters!

A lot of bunkum is talked about both these animals - some of it by quite intelligent people - but there is no doubt that in some parts of the country there is a problem. When a fishery spends large sums of money stocking carp, trout of other expensive fish only to find a tree full of fat cormorants sitting there the next day and no fish in the water it is a major problem. However the evidence for this happening on a large scale is scant and mostly anecdotal. Cormorants come inland, particularly during the winter, and take up residence where there is a ready food source. so if one is provided for them then it's no wonder they'll tuck in. It is possible to get a licence to shoot them but the process is mired in "red tape" and only small numbers can be shot at one time. 


There is a government review of this procedure going on but don't hold your breath - and although evidence is being gathered and a case is there to be made to un-protect the bird when inland it is unlikely this problem is going to go away any time soon. 


As for Otters - well these animals have been blamed for an awful lot of predation which they  clearly haven't carried out - and some slightly hysterical anglers want to be able to shoot them. The facts are clear and available on the Internet as much research has been done into their habits and how they affect river systems and they are after all a native species wiped out by man. 


For me I think all these animals have to be tolerated to some degree although I haven't had first hand experience of fish predation maybe I'm being too fluffy hugging but as Otters move ever nearer to my own part of the country (one was spotted only 30 miles form where I live) we'll see what effect they have on my local rivers.