Community leaders school up for carp summit

VICTORIAN Fisheries Authority chief executive Travis Dowling said the Murray Darling Carp Action Summit, co-hosted by the Australian River Restoration Centre, reflects growing community concern about the impacts of carp on waterway health, native fish and communities across the Basin.

 

“Decades of research into a carp virus biocontrol has delayed large-scale operational action and with more research planned there are no clear timelines for a decision on its release,” Dowling said.

“By contrast, over this period, billions of dollars in government funding has gone to controlling a dozen other invasive species, but not carp.

“We urgently need to release the carp virus because it provides the only catchment scale solution to our wicked carp problem that is getting worse.”

With more than 300 million carp across the Basin, the noxious species represents up to 90 per cent of fish biomass, degrading water quality and displacing native fish including several threatened species.

The summit, which attracted delegates from 40 organisations, opened with a welcome video address by Senator David Pocock, followed by presentations from member for Murray Helen Dalton, Associate Professor Ivor Stuart from Charles Sturt University, the Murray Darling Association and the Invasive Species Council.

Delegates also heard from a range of experts and industry leaders troubled by the impacts of expanding carp populations in the Murray Darling Basin and worked to identify ways to mobilise meaningful action on carp.

Ivor Stuart said carp are ruining waterways, preying on native fish, degrading water quality and pushing threatened native fish toward extinction.

We need to act now.

The summit also focused on building a more coordinated response, including the proposed formation of a Murray-Darling Carp Action Alliance.

Dr Siwan Lovett from the Australian River Restoration Centre said stronger alignment across all sectors is critical.

“Carp are a basin-wide challenge, and addressing them will require coordinated action across science, community, industry and government,” Dr Lovett said.

Warrick Wragg from the National Farmers Federation said there is broad agreement among experts and industry leaders that it is time to act against the carp.

If you see or suspect any illegal fishing in Victoria, call the 24/7 reporting service, 13FISH (133474), to speak directly to a fisheries officer. You can remain anonymous.

FISHING REPORTS

Fishing reports remain poor due to weather conditions.

Anglesea

* Have been whiting

* Some pinkies as well

Please note that due to weather conditions and large swell, launching has become treacherous.

Reports compliments of the Rusty Anglers Angling Club Anglesea

Barwon Heads and Ocean Grove

* The estuary is still said to be producing some silver trevally up to 45cm

Torquay

· Main reports out of Torquay this week have centred around flathead

Reports compliments of the Torquay Angling Club

 

St Leonards

* Reports of big bags of whiting from 3-35cm

* Also reports of good-sized calamari being caught

Indented Head and Grassy Point

* Reports of some squid and whiting

Queenscliff

* Reports of some whiting

* Squid are also being reported off the pier

Portarlington

* Reports of a few pinkies

Clifton Springs

* Reports of whiting, as well as squid

Reports compliments of Chis’ Bait and Tackle Drysdale