Otters And Fyke Nets -Some Aspects Which Need Further Attention

Otters And Fyke Nets -Some Aspects Which Need Further AttentionPages 7- 20 (Article)Claus ReutherEurasian otters (Lutra lutra) become attracted by fishes caught in fyke nets, lobster creels or other fishing gear, and they sometimes are drowned by trying to get access to these fish. Numerous publications describe this problem and the attempts to avoid this kind of loss. By comparing these data with unpublished data provided from different European countries, and in trying to prepare recommendations for fishermen, it became obvious that there are some results which are inconsistent or founded on too small a database to offer a background for adequate conservation recommendations. Therefore, some aspects are highlighted here to encourage otter conservationists and researchers to collect more data and to contribute to a more reliable database for conservation measures. In particular, an improvement in the knowledge of fishing techniques and of fishing gear used by fishermen seems to be necessary for a better understanding of the factors which influence the number of otters drowned.