National Carp Control Plan

So..$15 million is put aside for the Carp eradication plan. $4 million for "research" and the rest on . publicity and "education" What a train wreck VICTORIA is leading a call for more cash for plans to unleash the carp herpes virus, amid a shortfall in the National Carp Control Plan’s research budget. Victorian Agriculture Minister Jaala Pulford has this week written to her federal counterpart David Littleproud, demanding almost $4 million extra be put towards research for the release of the controversial koi herpes virus in Australia’s waterways. It comes as a leading Queensland Government scientist involved in the project, Jonathan Marshall, also called for more research funding — and an extension to the end-of-year deadline for ­getting the plan ready for the Federal Government’s consideration. “Without more time and more research, an informed decision by the end of this year (on whether or not to use the virus) is just not going to be possible,” Dr Mars

USE of a herpes virus to kill off carp from Australia’s rivers may not be begin until September next year — if the National Carp Control Plan gets approval at all. And more than $500,000 is being used to cover costs of just two staff members from the federal Environment Department working on the controversial plan. It comes after  The Weekly Times  reported last week that those developing a way to safely unleash the koi herpes virus are running out of cash to finish vital research. The $15 million carp control project has until the end of this year to develop a plan for the controlled release of the virus in a bid to wipe out the fish. The Government will make the final decision on whether it goes ahead, based on the proposal. However, the virus won’t be able to be deployed without approval from the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority, which needs to conduct a full assessment of the virus — including public consultation — before it can be used. An AP

Parks Victoria is undertaking an urgent European Carp removal program from the Sale Common Nature Conservation Reserve to avoid a potential black water event. In times of natural flooding, Carp enter the wetlands from the La Trobe River and can co-exist with native species when the water levels are high.  However, the wetlands are now going through a natural drying phase, so the huge numbers of Carp currently found within the Sale Common are rapidly deoxygenating the water as the water levels recede. Parks Victoria has had to act swiftly to remove up to 30 tonnes of Carp to avoid a ‘mass fish kill’ event, which would ultimately impact on the long-term health of the wetland and native aquatic animals such as platypus, eels, water rats and crustaceans. Parks Victoria has engaged the services of local professional fishermen to catch the Carp alive and will be transported in tanks for research purposes as part of the National Carp Control Plan.  This prevents the deg