A multidisciplinary research program of remarkable complexity underpins the National Carp Control Plan, which aims to explore the viability of reducing carp impacts in Australia using viral biocontrol. In view of its demonstrated species-specificity and virulence, Cyprinid herpesvirus-3 (CyHV-3) is being investigated in particular as a key control agent.
Research now underway will deliver contemporary carp biomass estimates, explore vectors for transmission, enable prediction of likely impacts on carp populations, investigate possible water quality impacts and options for management, and improve understanding of likely ecological changes that might result from carp control. Integrated control will be critical to maximise likelihood of long-term benefits, informed by iterative modelling to enable consideration of optimal timing and sequencing of control methods, and ongoing monitoring.
In this presentation National Coordinator Matt Barwick will provide a summary of the breadth and complexity of research now underway to inform decision making on carp control in Australia.