Narromine Councillor and a local delegate to the Murray Darling Basin Authority Craig Davies says he will bring an urgent call for his Shire’s support for action on carp to the next Council meeting.

‘’It’s a call not to just our council but all councils in our region and we need councillors to support this,’ he said.

''It's about carp eradication."

His call comes as the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder, Dr Simon Banks, announced last Friday 12 September the re-start of 'planned watering actions' in some areas of the Basin, after he pressed pause on environmental releases on 18 August.

Cr Davies says the Murray Darling Basin Authority wants overwhelming support from the councils to push the Federal Minister for Water and Environment Murray Watt to act on the problem.

"Following years of testing, Australian scientists have determined that using the naturally occurring carp herpesvirus as a biological control agent could significantly reduce the number of carp in our freshwater systems," he says.

‘’At the latest meeting of the Murray Darling Basin Authority it was decided and urged all councils in our area support the eradication of carp in the Basin.

Carp are an invasive fish species that is widespread and abundant across the Murray-Darling Basin.

They are highly adaptable and have biological features that allow populations to increase rapidly.

Carp now account for up to 90% of fish biomass in some areas of the Basin.

Carp have been contributing to environmental degradation across the Murray-Darling Basin since the 1960s.

The Australian Government recently announced a $15 million investment to develop a National Carp Control Plan to support the potential release of the carp-specific herpesvirus, which could help manage carp numbers in the Murray-Darling Basin.

Environmental water releases help combat carp

"The introduction of a biological control mechanism to tackle the pervasive carp problem will be an important complement to existing natural resource management and environmental watering programs that are helping to build the resilience of native fish populations," a spokesperson for the Federal Government and Minister for Environment and Water Murray Watt said.

''Environmental water is focussed on re-establishing more natural variable river flows, by reconnecting Basin rivers with floodplains and wetlands and creating the right conditions to support healthy populations of native fish.

"Carp populations benefit much more from natural flooding events, than small, targeted environmental watering.

"This is supported by monitoring of Commonwealth environmental water, which has found native fish are spawning and recruiting in response to environmental flows, providing more competition for carp."

The invasive species contribute to environmental degradation in the Basin.

Dr Simon Banks has reinstated planned watering in some NSW rivers. IMAGE: DCEEW

Reported impacts from carp include reduction in water quality, river bank damage and it is thought they may contribute to algae blooms.

The increased spread of carp and its impact on freshwater habitat has come at the expense of native fish species and aquatic vegetation.

Government experts say considerable work is required before a release of the carp herpesvirus could occur, including further research into how to manage the release and clean up and other ecological impacts, as well as legislative approvals and community consultation.

‘’The combination of a biological control mechanism, as envisaged through the release of the virus, and an improved environmental flow regime would enormously impact the likelihood of a positive future for native fish in the Basin.''

A range of activities are also currently being implemented to support carp management.

For example, carp exclusion screens have been installed at a number of wetlands in the Basin.

Although any benefit to carp from environmental watering is likely to be small, planning for releases involves a comprehensive risk assessment.

According to the MDBA, every watering event is evaluated on whether the benefits to native species will outweigh those of carp.

"If the benefits to carp are found to outweigh the benefits to native species, we simply do not water," the spokesperson said.

"All environmental watering events are designed to benefit native species over carp."

They said efforts to improve the environmental conditions that favour native species are important.

"In particular re-establishing flow regimes that provide the breeding cues and feeding opportunities that native fish rely on.

"We know that using the right volumes of water at the right time and in the right locations improves environmental conditions for native fish, which unlike carp, have quite particular seasonal flow requirements for breeding and feeding.’’

Planned releases are back - for some rivers

When announcing his decision to lift the pause "in some circumstances", Dr Banks said there had been careful consideration and analysis of the regulatory requirements of each Commonwealth environmental watering action.

"This included engagement with the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) on how held environmental water is currently interpreted under NSW law, including the NSW Non-Urban Water Metering Policy.

"I am now satisfied that our regulatory obligations can be met for planned in-stream, within-channel watering actions in the Barwon–Darling, Lower Darling and Murray.

"I am also pleased to be able to progress important watering actions in the Macquarie Marshes and the Murrumbidgee."

While Cr Davies did not comment on the re-start of the environmental watering program, he will continue his push for carp eradication.