Conservationists Want To Release Carp Herpes Virus In Australia To Curb Invasive Fish

Plants and Animals





Photo credit:

The carp are now thought to make up around 80 percent of all fish biomass in the Murray-Darling river basin. Fernando Cortes/Shutterstock

Australia doesn’t have the best history when it comes to invasive species. One such animal is the European carp, which has spread throughout much of Australia’s waterways. Now, in an unlikely alliance, both conservationists and fishermen are calling for approval to be granted for a “koi herpes virus” to be released. Highly specific to the European carp, the virus affects the skin and kidneys, disrupting the fish’s water balance.