Development of control techniques for carp has been given high priority in FRDC and CCCG reviews of Australia’s carp problem. Carp control is now hampered by a lack of techniques. Eradication is considered to be feasible only in small water bodies that can be poisoned or drained. Genetic and physiologically-based tools may be developed over time to control, and perhaps eradicate, carp from larger water bodies. However, this technology will be expensive to develop and public safety concerns may have to be addressed. What is lacking from carp control are techniques that can be used in larger water bodies. We propose here to modify a standard control technique (physical removal through fishing) so that it can be used to eradicate carp from larger water bodies.

Eradicating carp from Tasmania will provide the basis to rehabilitate what were once two of Tasmania’s finest trout fishing lakes contributing a $30 million fishery comprised of a mix of recreational fishers, commercial fishing guides, tourism operators, and equipment manufacturers. At the same time we will remove the risk of carp escaping from these lakes and causing extensive environmental and habitat damage to lowland rivers, lakes and reservoirs with the resulting loss of freshwater habitat and water quality.