National Carp Control Plan: still hooked on research

A study into using a virus to cut carp numbers in the Murray Darling Basin will not start for several years — if it gets approval at all.

Any potential release of the koi herpes virus to control carp numbers in the Murray Darling Basin is still several years away, with the nation’s agriculture ministers to receive fresh research recommendations next month.

The National Carp Control Plan was completed by the Fisheries Research Development Corporation last November but further investigations were ordered after it was inconclusive in how the virus would impact native fish species.

Australian chief environmental biosecurity officer Bertie Hennecke said questions also remained around impacts on town water, stock and domestic consumption and irrigation, along with cultural and recreational considerations and the clean-up of dead fish biomass.

Picture: Supplied by Commshake Media & Engagament

He also said even if a decision were made today to introduce the virus, it must still be approved by affected jurisdictions and meet Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act requirements.

“That still requires probably two to three years at least,” he said.

A paper, being prepared by the Agriculture Department’s environment and invasives committee, is expected to be delivered to the Agriculture Ministers’ Forum by mid-July.

“That is mainly around further consideration of impact on native species and also looking at cost-benefit analysis to update that and some other elements,” Dr Hennecke told Senate estimates.

Modelling, done as part of the federal government’s investigation, estimated the virus would cut carp numbers by 60 per cent in basin waterways and curb fish densities to well below the damaging threshold of 100kg/ha for at least 10 years.

However, Agriculture Department deputy secretary Chris Locke said the EIC had found “significant issues” with tests done in relation to potential virus impacts on non-target species.

“I think their comment on effectiveness was that it was not going to be a silver bullet; that it would have to be used in conjunction with other management strategies,” he said.

However, Dr Hennecke also said the taskforce found some other control tools “need to have further consideration to improve them”.

Researchers have $3.68 million remaining from a $15 million funding envelope to complete the trouble-plagued, years-long project.