KEEN Swan Hill fisherman and char of VRFish Rob Loats says it’s time to get on with the release of the virus.
He said the peak body representing the voice of recreational fishing in Victoria had been part of the research since day one, when Mr Loats was at the animal health laboratory in Geelong where it was said it was safe to native fish.
“They’ve done all this research and it’s taken several more years,” he said.
“I just believe we have to get on with it – make a decision and release it.
“The data is showing, the science is showing huge populations of carp in our river system, so even if we go rid of 50 per cent of them and followed up with a comprehensive recovery plan for native fish, we believe that’s a huge win.
“Even more so as we lose more fish to this blackwater from the flood. We think the time is right to make a decision and get on with it.”
Mr Loats told The Guardian trials could be undertaken on small, secured lakes.
Asked about a plan for carp biomass, he said it was already used as a fertiliser product.
“There were on million carp that died in the Darling River and we cleaned that up pretty quickly,” he said.
“If we can knock off 50 per cent that will make a huge difference.
“They are no good for waterways, we don’t need them. They destroy the vegetation, they make the water dirtier and take the place where native fish should be.
“It’s a delay tactic… keeping people in jobs by the looks of it.”
Mr Loats is also chair of North Central Catchment Management Authority Native Fish Recovery Plan Committee.
Pest of the waterways
CARP have become the most dominant large-bodied fish in the Murray-Darling Basin making up to 80-90 per cent of fish biomass.
Carp have major negative impacts on water quality and the amenity value of our freshwater environments.
Carp also have a devastating impact on biodiversity and have decimated native fish populations in many areas since they first became established as a major pest in the wild in the 1960s.
Unfortunately, carp can now be found in almost all states and territories.
They were introduced to Australia more than 100 years ago.
Read other carp virus articles
Consider wider impacts of virus
