In many parts of Europe, the common carp is a prized table fish. But the common carp (Cyprinus carpio) is arguably Australia’s most vilified fish. Nicknamed the “river rabbit” for its prolific breeding, carp is blamed for degrading rivers, lakes and billabongs.
Despite its popularity overseas, and among catch-and-release anglers and koi enthusiasts, carp in Australian rivers cause significant damage to aquatic plants, denuding the riverbanks and riverbeds when they feed.
In the 1960s, a European strain of carp entered Victoria’s Latrobe Valley and the Murray River near Mildura, believed to originate from a fish farm in Boolarra, in the south east of the state. This strain spread through the Murray–Darling Basin, prompting extensive research and attempted control programs, including the proposed cyprinid herpesvirus.
