Otters found dead in crayfish traps
Illegal setting of crayfish traps is killing otters
The irresponsible and illegal setting of crayfish traps is leading to an increased number of otter deaths in Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex. Five separate incidents of otters found dead in crayfish traps have been reported to the Environment Agency over recent months.
One grizzly discovery was made by a member of the public who spotted a trap floating in the River Waveney at the entrance to Beccles yacht station in July. It was the kind sometimes sold as a livebait trap. There was no otter guard and the inlet was large enough to allow access to otters. The otter probably entered the trap out of simple curiosity or to get at the bait, which is sometimes fish, and then drowned when it couldn’t find its way out.
Julia Stansfield from the Environment Agency commented “It made me so sad to see a beautiful, healthy animal like this killed so pointlessly. People sometimes complain about rules and regulations, but in this case there are very good reasons.”
This tragedy highlights the risk traps can pose to other wildlife, including otters and water voles. Otters, water voles and native crayfish are all protected by law and killing them can result in a fine of up to £5000 or up to 6 months in prison. Otters can be kept out of crayfish traps by using a suitably designed trap with a small entrance hole or otter guard. However, water voles are too small to exclude and trapping in areas where they are present will always carry the risk of drowning water voles.
Rupert Pyett, from the Environment Agency’s enforcement team said “We have no clues as to who set these traps. In these cases we won’t be able to prosecute but hope that the incidents serve as a lesson to deter anyone else from trying to trap crayfish without talking to us first.”
Until recently, turkish crayfish were numerous in the lower Waveney. They were wiped out from the river in October 2007 by an outbreak of crayfish plague although there is some evidence that numbers have since recovered. It is possible that this outbreak was caused by an illegal trap bringing spores from a contaminated area.
Otters have also suffered recently at the hands of someone setting a fyke net in the Broads. Six otters were found in the trap, some had been there so long only their skeletons remained. Like crayfish traps, fyke nets should be licensed, fitted with an otter guard and regularly checked.
Post-mortem examinations are carried out on all dead otters. This establishes the age, sex, weight and cause of death and gives valuable information on the general health and population of otters in the area.
Anyone who suspects that a trap has been set illegally or who finds a dead otter should contact the Environment Agency's free Incident Hotline on 0800 80 70 60.
