WHEN I saw an otter on the River Derwent some 50 years ago, while fishing, it made my day.

I also enjoyed seeing otters in a Norfolk sanctuary as well and I loved the film Ring Of Bright Water.

Nowadays the thing I would most dread while fishing is to see an otter.

Although I haven’t seen one at all in hundreds of hours, their devastating activities are apparent.

My 2.3 acre pond fishery has lost hundreds of tench, carp, ide and crucians in the last two years, while a neighbour has had the excitement of seeing the culprit just once. Sport is now minimal.

An otter has been photographed at Strensall on the Foss, where I fish regularly, but how many people have actually enjoyed seeing one?

Again this river has been well depleted of fish by the unseen predator.

Have you ever seen an otter? Do you want to see one?

What is the benefit of allowing them to increase as they are doing?

While this is debated, fish and fisheries everywhere are being slaughtered by these creatures.

Local garden ponds are mysteriously emptied of valuable fish and the owners have seen nothing.

Rawcliffe Lake has been emptied of fish.

The problem is countrywide.

Come on otter lobby and otter loving fraternity, make some sense. This is otter nonsense.

David Findlay, York Road, Haxby, York