A FEDERAL government budget initiative will combat the Murray River’s carp problem by releasing a deadly virus into the river system, but a river management authority say it’s not a “silver bullet”.
The North Central Catchment Management Authority has applauded the $15 million carp control plan which was announced by a ministerial task-force on Sunday.
However, project officer Peter Rose said work would need to be done to ensure the river was friendly to native fish post-‘Carpageddon’.
“The thing about the virus is that it won’t kill 100 per cent of the carp,” he said.
“It can kill 70 to 100 per cent so we will need to follow up.”
Mr Rose is involved with the Native Fish Recovery Plan which improves fish habitat in the Gunbower and Lower Loddon system through re-snagging, revegetation and building fish-ways.
He said similar work could be carried out throughout the Murray river system after the virus had been released and the carp killed.
“By removing carp the main thing we’ll notice is the muddiness of the water will decrease and the river will become clear,” he said.
“They uproot a lot of aquatic vegetation, which is critical habitat for native fish especially small bodied native fish.
“From that you’d start getting aquatic plants regrowing and native fish bouncing back.”
For more on this story pick up a copy of Wednesday’s Guardian (May 4, 2016).
