Aquatic Furbearers...Nusiance or Necessary?

[Glenn]

New article!

Beaver, nutria and muskrat - all three may compete with fish and visiting waterfowl for aquatic food and cover. Here's how to regulate their populations within acceptable limits.

http://www.bassresource.com/fish_biology/aquatic-furbearers.html

[senile1]

The owner of a pond I fish is always trying to shoot the muskrats to decrease the damage they do to his dam.  I'm going to give him the link to this article.  It doesn't sound like shooting is the best method to achieve his goals.  

[Raul]

I don 't see how beavers compete with fish, they are vegetarian ( not like otters which are piscivorous ), they dam creeks, reduce the flow speed and create beaver lakes. Waterfowl would never visit or reside in that place if the beaver lake/pond did not exist.

[cart7t]

The Missouri conservation department has already issued a "we screwed up" statement concerning their re-introduction of otters into state waterways.  While they're such cute, playful creatures they also have a voracious appetite and have not only damaged the fisheries on some rivers but have begun seeking food elsewhere from fish farms and farm ponds.

It seems they forgot about a pesky little detail like,  there are no natural predators around like there were back when otters flourished to keep them in check.

Otter trapping season was just started this past year thank God.

[Dalton Tam]

necessary