Sir, - In your edition of July 20th, Y (In Time's Eye) discusses the theory, now widely accepted in the UK, that the recovery in the otter population has caused the decline of the mink population. Some of the supporters of this theory will also argue that the decline of the otter in the UK was caused by the initial spread of the mink.
The Irish experience casts serious doubt on this theory. The feral mink has rapidly colonised this island in under 30 years, and has an established successful breeding population in this country. This colonisation has taken place while we had a strong established otter population. The Vincent Trust Survey of Ireland of the 1970s showed otter present in almost all rivers visited, even in Dublin, Limerick, Cork and Galway cities and on our lakes and many suitable coastal areas. In many of the waterways of Ireland the otter and mink population inhabit the same territories.
Thanks to the efforts of the National Association of Regional Game Clubs, mink are controlled through trapping and shooting, which has a major beneficial effect on game and other native species. I would encourage all parties with an interest in Irish wildlife to engage in mink control. - Yours, etc.,
Turlough J. Coffey, Hon Sec/Treasurer, Wexford Regional Game Council, Gorey, Co Wexford.