European carp (Cyprinus carpio) are globally one the most invasive and ecologically damaging aquatic pests. They remove aquatic plants and reduces biodiversity which provides critical food and shelter for native fish. Carp compete with native fish for food and prey on native fish eggs, larvae and juvenile fish. Carp diminish cultural, recreational amenity and the economic value of our waterways.
Across the Murray Darling Basin, carp numbers can be as high as 375 million or around 500,000 tonnes, forming up to 90% of the total fish biomass. Despite carp dominating inland fisheries since the 1970’s, there is no National Threat Abatement Plan for carp and, they're not listed as a Key Threatening Process under the EPBC Act. After 20 years of biocontrol research on the cyprinid herpesvirus, culminating in the $13 million-dollar NCCP report (2022), a decision on the release of the virus has not been made.
In April, the VFA and the Australian River Restoration Centre co-hosted a Murray-Darling Carp Action Summit attended by 80 leaders from 41 community, farming, fishing, research, and conservation interest. The key outcome of this summit was to form a Carp Action Alliance (CAA). The CAA will unify fragmented carp control efforts, catalyse integrated, practical carp control action and, leverage government and private sector support to implement carp control measure where it is most needed. We propose the CAA be funded for the first 12 months through a foundation membership investment across fishery agency jurisdictions (VIC, NSW, QLD, and SA). The CAA will lead, collaborate, and inform the fishing, farming, conservation, and research sectors who share a common drive to address Australia’s carp problem. The formation of the CAA recognises carp management as a key fishery management imperative requiring a collaborative and concerted effort to protect and recovery threatened native fisheries and river health.