Goodbye Carp

[Knackers 696]

Looks like the end is nigh for Carp. About time

 

Just in the Australian this morning. Might be in the crowatiser as well:

 

CSIRO’s herpes virus ‘ready for release’ to eradicate carp

 

The scourge of Australia’s rivers, the European carp, may soon be eradicated from our inland waterways if Australian scientists, farmers and environmentalists win political and community support to release a uniquely targeted ­herpes virus to control the introduced pest.

 

After eight years of laboratory testing, the CSIRO is convinced the carp-specific virus, if released into the wild, will kill only the ­invasive and damaging European carp and no other Australian fish species, native or introduced.

[AquaticResearch1 1,046]

As long as it is guaranteed to not harm any natives.

[samboman 319]

Just like the cane toad….

[Knackers 696]

Just like the cane toad….

 

I knew somebody would bring this one up. I say,

 

Just like rabbits (mexxi and calicivirus)

 

Just like prickly pear (cactoblastus)

 

I think a lot of lessons have been learned by the scientific community and CSIRO since 1920

 

Can you imagine instead of catching 40 carp and one callop you could get a dozen callop and a few murray cod. It might not be all the carps fault but it is a start.

[samboman 319]

 

Just like the cane toad….

 

I knew somebody would bring this one up. I say,

 

Just like rabbits (mexxi and calicivirus)

 

Just like prickly pear (cactoblastus)

 

I think a lot of lessons have been learned by the scientific community and CSIRO since 1920

 

Can you imagine instead of catching 40 carp and one callop you could get a dozen callop and a few murray cod. It might not be all the carps fault but it is a start.

 

I'm not so sure…  They still allow netting and long lining of our gulfs….

[AquaticResearch1 1,046]

It will be interesting to see, should the virus remove 70% or more of the carp, what species fill the space left by them. Expecting a big boom in Silver perch and Catty numbers first and foremost.

[silaflex 103]

Yeah sure.

[Knackers 696]

 

 

Just like the cane toad….

 

I knew somebody would bring this one up. I say,

 

Just like rabbits (mexxi and calicivirus)

 

Just like prickly pear (cactoblastus)

 

I think a lot of lessons have been learned by the scientific community and CSIRO since 1920

 

Can you imagine instead of catching 40 carp and one callop you could get a dozen callop and a few murray cod. It might not be all the carps fault but it is a start.

 

I'm not so sure…  They still allow netting and long lining of our gulfs….

 

 

Coming from a family of pros who have hooked and netted in both gulfs they themselves have stated numerous times if the Port Wakefield Proof Range restrictions weren't in place there would be virtually no fish in Gulf St Vincent.

[Knackers 696]

It will be interesting to see, should the virus remove 70% or more of the carp, what species fill the space left by them. Expecting a big boom in Silver perch and Catty numbers first and foremost.

 

Some idiot will probably release another invasive species into the system so there are easily caught fish available. Like idiots in Vic when I lived there catching wild pigs in NSW and releasing them in scrub. Or the idiots in Tassie that released carp into the high country lakes, creeks and rivers.

[Knackers 696]

Then again, barramudi or saratoga would be interesting

[sbarnden 397]

Doubt it will eradicate them. Rabbits are still around and even rebuilding their numbers a bit.

 

Not sure if there will be a native fish boom to fill the ecological niche though. Carp are only one part of the problem with the Murray and not sure what capacity natives would have to breed up with low flows, limited flooding events, limited breeding stock, lack of snags and poor water quality. The only factor there that removing carp would help with is the water quality a little, and even then farm runoff, flow control and destruction of riparian vegetation is a bigger factor than the carp. The main reason carp are so prevalent is they can thrive under those conditions while natives don't so it may just be a case of having just as few natives and a much reduced carp population.

 

But if we can get a native stock rebuilding policy in place with supplementary stocking and enhanced recruitment through re-snagging, higher water flows and some flooding events getting rid of most the carp will definitely help.

 

Much harder to release something else that may become invasive since live specimens of species that might are banned from importation. But could you imagine some of the likely suspects, American black bass, giant wels catfish like the Spanish Ebro river, sturgeon, various sunfish species like bluegill, alligator gar and others? Might be great angling but all of those are highly invasive and would thrive in the slow warm conditions in the Murray.

[Underpants 1,543]

Doubt it will eradicate them. Rabbits are still around and even rebuilding their numbers a bit.

 

Not sure if there will be a native fish boom to fill the ecological niche though. Carp are only one part of the problem with the Murray and not sure what capacity natives would have to breed up with low flows, limited flooding events, limited breeding stock, lack of snags and poor water quality. The only factor there that removing carp would help with is the water quality a little, and even then farm runoff, flow control and destruction of riparian vegetation is a bigger factor than the carp. The main reason carp are so prevalent is they can thrive under those conditions while natives don't so it may just be a case of having just as few natives and a much reduced carp population.

 

But if we can get a native stock rebuilding policy in place with supplementary stocking and enhanced recruitment through re-snagging, higher water flows and some flooding events getting rid of most the carp will definitely help.

 

Much harder to release something else that may become invasive since live specimens of species that might are banned from importation. But could you imagine some of the likely suspects, American black bass, giant wels catfish like the Spanish Ebro river, sturgeon, various sunfish species like bluegill, alligator gar and others? Might be great angling but all of those are highly invasive and would thrive in the slow warm conditions in the Murray.

 

Quite a few bunnies about this season, proving more reliable fun than the fishing !

 

Too true. Carp are somewhat a convenient scapegoat for the state of the Murray. It will  take more then their effective control to bring life back to the system.

 

Kinda like Tilapia in SW QLD.

[archerfish 685]

First Dog on the Moon's take on the carp herpes virus in "The Guardian" today:

 

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/picture/2016/jan/13/were-killing-off-carp-with-herpes-what-other-pests-should-we-eradicate

 

Cheers

af

[Tinker 1,645]

They will never totally eradicate carp in the Murray-Darling Basin.

And we all must admit that in metro freshwater, carp have provided sport for many of us.

By all means controlling carp numbers in the Murray could be a good thing, but nature seems to be returning native fish numbers like silver perch and catfish, and the recent re-stocking of cod fingerlings are indications of a slightly better future for our River.

The biggest problem I see with this virus is mass fish kills causing deteriorating water quality, which will impact on other species.

Time will tell.

[JAYMAN 137]

mmm ,very interesting ,only time will tell, but i think there would be better for a more natural way to eradicate the carp and usage of the carps when they are dead ,

[Brankim 945]

sorry, im all carped out from disgussing in on fb all day....

not about to start fresh on the topic for a 3rd time...

[AquaticResearch1 1,046]

The massive fall in competition from the carp alone should allow natives to grow way faster and hopefully a far greater number of eggs survive rather than being munched on by carp.

 

Honestly I would love it if the Eastern states and SA could by example and maintain the "correct" environmental flows until periods of drought occur and then we can close her up. We've got to remember the Murray would never have been an overly hospitable place to survive and reproduce due to the highly varied rainfall in Aus. If we can naturalise it just enough then maybe we will see the return of the 250lb cod and 30lb callop of old.

[archerfish 685]

Then again, barramudi or saratoga would be interesting

 

Funny you should say that, Knackers...

 

I was watching "Talking Fishing" on Channel 44 the other day and the host was talking to Jaala Pulford (Victorian Minister for Agriculture and Regional Development). For a change she struck me as an approachable, well-informed Minister on top of her portfolio. The discussion was about a check list on the status of pre-election promises made and one of the promises was to investigate the possibility of stocking Barramundi in Hazelwood Pondage. More info here:

 

http://fishingterritory.com/files/presentation_050808_194.pdf

 

Lots more stuff on the 'net about this, if you're interested.

 

Cheers

af

[Knackers 696]

Wasn't there a barramundi farm in the SE somewhere?

[archerfish 685]

 

http://www.robarra.com.au

[Tinker 1,645]

The massive fall in competition from the carp alone should allow natives to grow way faster and hopefully a far greater number of eggs survive rather than being munched on by carp.

 

Honestly I would love it if the Eastern states and SA could by example and maintain the "correct" environmental flows until periods of drought occur and then we can close her up. We've got to remember the Murray would never have been an overly hospitable place to survive and reproduce due to the highly varied rainfall in Aus. If we can naturalise it just enough then maybe we will see the return of the 250lb cod and 30lb callop of old.

 

Amen Brother.