freeline-94 - Flipbook - Page 157
DEREK STRITTON
b e came more widely know n an d t h e f i s hi n g m o re p o p u l ar.
I nitially I thought the fis h we re ge t ti n g d a m ag e d a s a re s u l t
o f the extra attention from a n gl er s , bu t wh en I tu rn e d u p o n e
s p ring to find an electric fe n ce a ro u n d th e p l a ce , I re a l i s e d
t h ere were more sinister i s s ue s . O tte r s ha d a rr ive d , a n d my
re treat was under threat . T ho u gh we s o l d th e c a rava n a g o o d
m any years ago, we sti ll re g ul arly v i s i t N o rfo l k . U n t i l a ye a r
a g o I often travelled to Wrox h am to f i s h fo r p i ke o n t h e R ive
B ure. One of the reasons I g o t i nvo lve d w i th t h e PAG ( P re d a t i o n
Ac tion Group) is because o f my f i r s t ha n d ex p eri e n c e o f o t te r
p redation in Norfolk, both o n t h e l a ke I us e d to f i s h , t h e R ive r
B ure, other Norfolk lakes, t h e B ro a d s an d r ive rs . No rfo l k wa s
o n e of the first areas to s u f fe r o t te r p re da t i o n fo l l ow i n g t h e
re lease of captive bred ot te rs i n t he B un gay a re a . I t wa s th e
d evastating results of the s e re le a se s t ha t l e d to Jo h n W i l s o n
fo rming the Predation Ac ti o n G ro u p . T h e re a re s t i l l p e o p l e
who are in denial about p re da t i o n eve n n ow. We l l , sa d ly, I
c a n assure you if you have n’ t s ee n th e e f fe ct s i n yo u r p a rt o f
t h e world yet , just b e awa re i t’ s o n th e way. Fro m eve ry are a
a n gling is under threat: a b s tra ct i o n , p o ll u t an t s , re d s i g n a l
c rayfish, g oosanders, corm o ra n ts , m i n k a n d o t te rs . A s a n o l d
s c hool angler of three sco re a n d te n ye ars p l u s , why s h o u l d I
worry? It goes without say i ng t h a t I d o !
My re-involvement wi th t h e Ca rp S o c i e ty h a s e n a b l e d me to
i n dulge my love of the pa s t w i t h o th e r f ri e n d s . T h e o r ig i n a l
i d ea came from Tim Paisley, a n d n ow we h ave a Ca rp M u s e u m
o n our site at Horseshoe. A Re dm i re Po o l d i s p l ay, Bri a n M i l l s
c a rving and stuffed fish fro m Fre n sh a m p o n d s a re a cc o m p a n i ed
by a display about the deve lo p me n t o f b u z z e r s , c a r p ro d s a n d
re els. As time passes, the re w i l l b e b o o ks a n d o t h e r i te m s
FR E ELINE 47
