Community Meetings on National Carp Control Plan

05 October 2017

Recreational anglers, nature lovers, farmers and waterway users are invited to 13 community meetings in Victoria this month and next to hear about our plans to reduce carp numbers and the development of the National Carp Control Plan.

State Director National Carp Control Plan, Craig Ingram, said carp were an unwanted pest in our lakes and rivers that reduce water quality, adversely impact our native aquatic ecosystems and cost the economy up to $500 million per annum.

"In 2016, the Commonwealth Government announced $15 million over 2.5 years to develop the Plan that will include exploring the release of a naturally occurring, species-specific carp herpes virus as a biological control agent," Mr Ingram said.

"Common carp were introduced to Victoria in 1859 and are now the dominant species in many waterways, having a major impact on the health of our waterways and our native fish populations."

The team developing the Plan is now embarking on a large program of scientific research and public meetings across carp affected areas to:

• address knowledge gaps, and better understand and manage risks to support the potential release of the carp virus, subsequent clean-up and recovery of native fish and ecosystems;
• plan for an integrated approach to control carp in Australia's waterways;
• build community awareness for the proposal to release the virus and address community concerns;
• develop strategies for release of the virus and subsequent clean-up; and
• support national coordination on all elements of the Plan's development.

At the end of 2018 a formal recommendation on the best way to control carp impacts in Australia will be made in a document called 'The National Carp Control Plan'.

The 13 public meetings in Victoria will run from 6pm to 8pm and commence on 16 October in Horsham, followed by Hamilton, Colac, Mildura, Swan Hill, Shepparton, Bendigo, Wangaratta, Wodonga, Echuca, Sale, Lakes Entrance and in Melbourne at Albert Park (see list of meeting details below).

For more information about the Victorian Government's role and community meetings contact craig.ingram@vfa.gov.au (03) 9658 4737 or visit www.vfa.vic.gov.au/carpplan

Find out more about the National Carp Control Plan at www.carp.gov.au