Well yes. I lived in East Anglia for 30 or so where there are plenty of otters and never heard an angler moan at all. As you say Chris, they mean clean water and fish. Here in the Dordogne between Bergerac and Sarlat any mention of species preservation or reintroduction prompts excuses to begin with. Wolves will decimate the deer - err, sorry but I though the hunters shooting above quota and out of season were quite capable of that alone. Bears will contribute to that and be dangerous to humans. I think they mean that they would be protected, therefore create no hunting zones for their protection. Whatever you say about beavers, they will tell you the opposite. Otters eat all the fish. I have heard all manner of excuses plus justification for hunting seven days a week which means the yellow way-marked paths are also no go for safety's sakes that include deer doing extreme crop damage. I have so far not yet seen the deer who all agedly steal the maize... I can imagine them grazing the young plants but munching through the cobs? But heyho that is an excuse reason for shooting them, including does with young which I thought was not allowed but they tell me otherwise... Etc.