Despite years of trying to lower the number of the “aggressive bottom feeder” in the Wingecarribee, carp remain a problem.
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But a new study, which calls for Highlanders’ help, is looking for a way to resolve the carp problem across Australia.
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CSIRO scientist Peter Durr is leading NCCP funded research to understand how a carp virus, known as Cyprinid herpesvirus 3, could be effectively released in Australian waterways.
“We need information on at least 2000 carp aggregation events to complete our picture,” he said.
“Without carp aggregation knowledge we may not be able to accurately predict how the carp virus would work in Australia.”
Andrew Hearn, creator of fishing competition Carpathon that aimed to remove the fish from Wingecarribee waterways said carp dirtied up the Wingecarribee River and threatened native fish.
“Carp are an aggressive bottom feeder,” he said.
“Small bass were put in the river to hopefully grow and eat the carp.”
There are no limits on fishing carp and thousands of carp were pulled out of the river over one Carpathon weekend.
“We pulled around three tonnes of carp out of the river.
“They breed dramatically and nothing seems to kill them. They can live for an hour when pulled out the water, they’re a survivor,” Mr Hearn said.
The general public is being asked to report any aggregation sightings they witness.
Aggregations are when more than 20 carps congregate and information is needed on more than thousand.
The survey to record carp sightings should only take around three minutes to complete.
“The survey will help support future carp management plans in Australia,” said National Carp Control Plan Coordinator Matt Barwick.
“Understanding carp aggregations not just locally but at a national scale will be critical for an effective national approach to carp control.
“If you have observed more than 20 carp together we want to know about it,” Mr Barwick said.
He said previous aggregation surveillance services had been successful.
“We have already trialled a successful community survey to map carp aggregations in the Lachlan catchment and now we want to get a national picture, to not only inform our research program but to support future carp management strategies.”
If you see an aggregation, you can record your sightings at https://carpmap.org.au/carp/content.
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