Otters – A Wider Perspective

The otter below can be seen by appointment at Blakewell Fishery where they are working with the UK Wild Otter Trust. I visited Blakewell Fishery recently where I met Dave Webb a founder of the UK Wild Otter Trust. It is fair to say that in recent years the otter situation has been contentious in some areas with anglers and otters with their natural predatory instincts causing concern. As an angler I always take delight in catching that rare glimpse of an otter and have some good memories of encounters beside the Rivers Taw and Torridge. The otter population in ...
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Jeremy Wade – Visit to the Plough Arts Centre

  Jeremy Wade attended the Plough Arts Centre and delivered a fascinating talk about his fishing exploits around the world and the filming of River Monsters, Mighty Rivers, his latest documentary programme Dark Waters and his new book “How to Think Like a Fish” He enlightened and inspired the captivated audience explaining the structure of the programmes and how the audience are drawn into the mystery and environment of the natural world. The River Monsters series was to a large extent built around a plot of a murder mystery with Jeremy acting as the detective in search of the perpetrator ...
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Hinkley Threat to Fish Stocks in the Bristol Channel

The building of Hinkley Point Power Station will undoubtedly have an adverse effect upon the Environment but as with all things there is a bigger picture and I am not qualified to know whether nuclear power is better overall than alternative sources of energy production. The financial cost is undoubtedly enormous. I read in The Times on Saturday how it is predicted that the cooling water intake could kill many thousands of fish each day potentially decimating fish stocks. This is obviously extremely worrying not only from an angling perspective but also from a conservation angle. In addition to the ...
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CASTING IN HUGH’S FOOTSTEPS

“A beautiful Valley, a charming old Inn, and a rugged cove that can provide plenty of sport for the shore angler.” From Sea Fishing in Cornwall” By Hugh Stoker. Angling Times Publication 3’6. Published in1960. Hugh Stoker was a Sea Angler who wrote several books and a series of guide books on fishing in the West Country. I have the editions relating to North Devon, South Devon and Cornwall and have over the years visited many of the marks mentioned. In some cases, the marks have changed whilst in other cases much seems to have remained the same. We were ...
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ARTIFISHAL – The Road to Extinction is Paved with good intentions

On August 31st I will be introducing the acclaimed film ARTIFISHAL at the Plough Arts Centre. For details see link below. Profits from the showing will be donated to the River Torridge Fishery Association to promote conservation work on the River Torridge. The event is supported by River Reads specialists in Angling Books and signed editions. https://www.theploughartscentre.org.uk/event/artifishal PATAGONIA RELEASES DOCUMENTARY AND LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN TO HIGHLIGHT THE HIGH COST OF FISH HATCHERIES, FISH FARMS AND HUMAN IGNORANCE. Patagonia has released ARTIFISHAL – an illuminating 80-minute documentary film by Liars & Thieves! that explores the high cost - ecological, financial and cultural ...
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