The survival of the largest trout farm in the Waldviertel is threatened by Otter & Co.! An ever-growing gang of robbers is causing hundreds of tons of damage to supplies. In a cultivated natural landscape with many fish ponds, Thomas Muschl is not the only one severely affected by strictly protected predators.
“In our 24 natural ponds we do everything we can to offer healthy salmonids, from brown trout, rainbow trout to salmon trout, a life that is, as it were, suitable for fishing. “But now we have a loss of seedlings in the five figures,” says Thomas Muschl, who is doing everything he can to support the shares in Großreinprechts in the Krems district. But there are also predators such as the mink, which was once freed from fur farms by animal rights activists and now – thanks to the skills that Mother Nature has given it as a good swimmer and diver – happily feasts on the scaly aquatic animals.
Minks, herons, otters and beavers
There are also fish predators such as the heron and the otter. All together – according to Muschl – a threat to our existence! As if that weren’t enough, the restless beaver also gives him sleepless nights: “He builds everything up at night and messes up the water system.”
Dramatic effects on fish
Drastic impact: The ponds are no longer fed due to the “blockages”. According to the dedicated breeder, everything together leads to constant stress for his keepers: “The herons during the day, the minks at night. This means that the trout stops eating.” Dozens of other professional colleagues in the far north of Lower Austria feel the same way as Muschl does. The unconditional protection of the otter, which is unconditionally protected by environmental organizations, threatens to put an end to a centuries-old tradition.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
