Advanced Carp Magazine

A new group, formed with the aim of confronting the issue of predation on carp has announced it is set to launch next month.

The body, known at the moment as the English Carp Defense League, is a pressure group formed in response to what it sees as a ‘lack of action’ from authorities to the serious threat posed by otter predation across the UK.

Already causing waves throughout the UK carp fraternity, the man behind the ECDL, Mark Holmes - respected carper and former editor of sister magazine Advanced Carp Fishing – spoke to ACF about what he and the other anglers backing the group are seeking to achieve.


“Quite simply we want to make a difference to the terrible situation that is facing carp and carp anglers across the country due to predation by otters,” said Mark.

“I and many others have been warning about the massive threat that the haphazard reintroduction of otters poses to carp for years. Now we’ve seen that become a reality with the creatures destroying fish stock in rivers and unprotected stillwaters around the country.

“For some reason the authorities that are funded by us, the anglers, have adopted a softly, softly approach to the situation which is just not working.

“Instead of using the otter issue to rally anglers and swell its numbers the Angling Trust, the body that is meant to represent our sport, has failed to do anything to address the situation. The Environment Agency that gets millions of pounds a year from anglers through the rod license has also done nothing to help.

“There’s also the Predator Action Group that was formed as a way of getting the issue of predation of our fish, including by otters, out in to the media and make a positive difference,” Mark continued. “But for some reason that hasn’t happened and they seem paralysed having done nothing that I and many others can see to actually change anything.

“Now, I, and many, many other angry and disenfranchised carp anglers, have had enough and are looking to change things ourselves.

“We need to get the issue of the otter and its devastating affect on fish, carp and other species, up the political agenda in angling.

“We’ve seen too many fish wiped out already, not just carp either, look at the state of the Adams Mill on the Ouse where the big barbel have been decimated by otters. I don’t want to be in the situation where I’m having to explain to my kids what big carp once were because there are none left,” he added.


Already the group has gathered the support of over 250 anglers – including some very big and well-respected names in the sport – before it has even officially been launched. A momentum that Mark hopes to carry forward to apply pressure where he feels it’s needed.


“This will be a pressure group, working to make suggestions to the official bodies and trying to get them to implement them,” continued Mark. “We’re looking at short and medium term solutions, such as making funding for otter fencing more available and getting access to where otter holts are being built by groups and the EA themselves so that protective measures can be put in place by fishery managers. At the moment the authorities only seem to have long term plans which mainly revolve around nature balancing itself out. If we wait for that then many fisheries will be devastated, so hopefully we can get things moving as soon as possible.”


The ECDL will be holding a public meeting at some point in January where it will launch its agenda and, according to Mark, be renamed as the Carp Preservation Group. ACF will bring you further details as and when we get them.