Carp were introduced to Australia starting in the late 1800s and early 1900s. As there were common in Europe at the time, Europeans would introduce carp to Australia to make the environment more European, and to farm. Eventually, carp would find their way into the wild, and form wild populations across Australia. Carp then began causing problems in Australian rivers related to them causing bank erosion, which started the National Carp Control Plan, a government initiative focussed on the control of carp and the prevention of their negative effects on our rivers.
Timeline:
1859- first attempts of carp stocking in Australia
Early 1900’s- first wild populations of carp forming in the Murray
1920’s- carp still fairly uncommon in the Murray- Darling basin
1960’s- new strain imported to Australia for farming and fishing
1970’s- widespread flooding causes carp in farm to spread into the Murray, and the wild population has increased since.
Since the 1970’s- carp started to impact Australian rivers negativly, causing several plans for nationwide carp control.
2016- government announced $15million investment in the National Carp Control plan.
by 2018- potential release of Cyprinid herpesvirus, a virus designed to eleiminate 95% of carp in Australian rivers.
Geohazard 