A TOP river ecologist has called for the release of the carp herpes virus into Australia’s freshwater rivers to save the native fish populations and their habitats.
Dr Martin Mallen-Cooper was speaking on the latest episode of OzCast, the official podcast of OzFish Unlimited.
Carp were introduced in the 1800s and have caused havoc through their bottom-feeding habits, disturbing sediment and adversely affecting water quality, plant growth, and native fish.
Their numbers have been increasing despite various methods to reduce them.
Following decades of studying Australia’s freshwater ecosystems, Dr Mallen-Cooper believes the science and research is strong enough to confidently release the virus.
“This is a naturally occurring virus in carp populations overseas and has a long history, so it’s not a recent mutation,” he said.
“Overseas, it only occurs in carp species and research in Australia shows the virus is not a concern for natives.”
He said a release would temporarily reduce carp numbers and provide a critical window for native fish to establish a more substantial presence, but warned that to maximise the benefits during the critical recovery phase, it was importance to enhance habitats, manage river flows better and restore fish migrations.
He said combining these actions with a virus release strategy, was critical to bolstering our native fish populations.
Dr Mallen-Cooper further advocated for a nationwide management scheme to address the challenge due to the Murray-Darling Basin spanning multiple states.
