The current devastating fish kill in the Darling River provides an opportunity to test clean up strategies investigated as part of the National Carp Control Program[1] according to Shadow Water Minister, Perin Davey.
Senator Davey is calling on the Federal Government to immediately initiate the clean up options identified through the six years of research into Carp biocontrol strategies.
“We know one of the biggest concerns for carp biocontrol was what to do with the dead fish,” Senator Davey said.
“The current natural event that we are seeing, with hundreds of thousands of dead fish floating along the Darling, provides an opportunity to test the clean up options that scientists have considered under the carp control program.
“The current event is too urgent to go back to the drawing board, we need urgent action.
“For six years, scientists have been grappling with, not only whether a carp biocontrol is effective and safe, but also if it is how you would get rid of all the dead carp to avoid exactly what we are seeing at the moment near Menindee.
“Involving 11 national and international research institutions and over 40 research scientists, the National Carp Control Program is one of the most comprehensive biological control feasibility studies ever conducted in Australia.
“Surely somewhere in the 3,800 pages of scientific documents produced, there are plans to clean up and dispose of fish carcasses in the event of mass kills.
“Let’s put those plans into action and see how effective they are.
“It can’t hurt and can certainly help, not only the river and communities now, but can also inform processes for any future events whether they are future natural fish kill disasters or if we ever roll out the carp biocontrol,” Senator Davey said.
ENDS