River Cherwell

[Santiago]

I expect that the otter will be feasting on the crayfish. This should help with fish numbers in the long term. The run off from agriculture is much more destructive to the river's ecosystem than otters are!

Indeed - i agree - run off and pollution, all man made, is more harmfull than nature.

I assumed the crays would be easy meals for them. What is odd though, on the stretches of Thames i fish is the recent increase in crays the last two seasons in particular. Maybe we are due a boom in big chub and perch again if crays are back jn numbers?

The main stretch I fish on the Thames has both otters and crayfish and the fishing appears to be getting better. For instance, a chap I know who fishes regularly for barbel has had nearly a hundred this season so far, up to nearly 18lb. And there's lots of perch and a good head of silvers. But further up in the weir stretch the fishing is very poor and I suspect this is because of a big flock of cormorants (30+) that plague that part of the river which seldom sees anyone. Looks like the fish have moved into the main river to escape from the cormorants. The EA have been informed but haven't done anything that I know of.