Shoot beavers if they ruin fishing, Anglers urge

Anglers say they should be free to shoot beavers if they casue too much damage.

The dam-building rodents have been recently been reintroduced in England amid hopes they will help to “rewild” many rivers and streams.

However, anglers have reportedly said the dams the beavers build will prevent fish from migrating up river to spawn.

The Frome, Piddle & West Dorset Fisheries Associastion has established a “beaver accord” which it wants to apply to any future beaver releases, The Times reports.

The principles include the right to remove dams and cull beavers, which is allowed in Scotland.

The association argues that beavers destroy riverside trees and flood farmland, which they say would damage the chalk stream angling industry.

But supporters of reintroducing beavers to England’s rivers say the threat has been exagerrated and that culling should only take place as a last resort.

Richard Slocock, chair of the fisheries association, told The Times: “There are no apex predators for deer and there will be none for beavers so it’s up to mankind to cull them to keep them to sensible numbers.

He went on to argue that beaver dams would ruin fly fishing: “Instead of being a delightful, free flowing stream with lovely bright gravel and waving green weed and trout hanging around all over the place, you are left with a silty, semi-stagnant pond with minimal fishing interest.”

However, James Wallace, chief executive of the Beaver Trust, said damage caused by the animals could be managed without culling.

Hesalmon and trout had “evolved to jump over dams,” adding: “Beavers are native species, we have just forgotten about them. But salmon and trout haven’t forgotten about beavers. If they were in Norway they would expect to come across lots of beaver dams and once they have got over them there is a nice safe place for them to live.”