March 30, 2023
Official VRFISH Media Release.
VRFish, the recreational fishing peak body in Victoria has called on the Commonwealth and State Government to move ahead with implementation of the National Carp Control Plan (NCCP), as a matter of priority.
The NCCP was released in November 2022 and confirms the potential of Carp Virus (CyHV3) to significantly reduce Australia’s carp biomass. The NCCP proposes a 10-year phased approach to introducing the carp virus with the first Phase involving many years of discussion, agreement, legislative reform and lengthy consultation, before the Phase 2 release of the virus.
Chair of VRFish, Mr. Rob Loats said “Our native fish species are out of time. The recent floods and ongoing fish kills have decimated already susceptible native fish populations and provided a boom for European Carp breeding and recruitment”
“Carp numbers are creating a huge environmental problem and unless we act immediately, I fear the amazing work that has gone into the NCCP will be wasted. We don’t have a comprehensive, integrated Carp management plan to fall back on. The NCCP is what we’ve got.”
“Other complementary measures to the NCCP must also be funded to drive recovery of native fish once carp numbers are reduced.”
VRFish has called on all governments to further increase investment in complimentary measures to prepare for and support the release of the virus:
- Reducing cold water pollution (multilevel offtakes, low cost engineering solutions)
- Improving native fish passage and riverine connectivity
- Investing in fish screens on irrigation pump intakes
- Delivering aquatic habitat and riparian remediation works
- Conservation stocking of small bodied and threatened native fish
- Improving environmental water delivery for native fish
Media Enquiries- Rob Loats 0408 584 894
