It’s already happening…
“Victorian commercial fisherman John Ingram, who harvests carp for international markets, said just talk of the potential release of the virus was damaging his business. ‘Our export business has been halted,’ Mr Ingram said.”
“Scientists and commercial fishermen say Australia’s rollout of a carp herpesvirus is being rushed through, risking relationships with international trading partners.”
“Kevin Zai, who worked as a consultant in Papua New Guinea for 17 years said he feared the virus would spread to PNG where carp are an important commodity socially and economically. ”
“Dr Keller Kopf from Charles Sturt University said it was possible that the virus could spread outside of Australia. ”
“Queensland scientist Dr Jonathan Marshall said there was a risk the virus would not provide the results the Federal Government was after. ”
Learn more on ABC News’ article –
“Herpes-based carp control plan may stop some Australian fish exports, cause alarm overseas”
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Yours sincerely,
Dr Richmond Loh
DipProjMgt, BSc, BVMS, MPhil (Pathology), MANZCVS (Aquatics& Pathobiology), CertAqV, NATA Signatory.
Aquatic Veterinarian & Veterinary Pathologist.
Locations: Perth | Melbourne | Sydney | Canberra | Townsville | Singapore.
THE FISH VET – AUSTRALIA
Aquatic Veterinary Medical & Diagnostic Services.
Web: http://www.thefishvet.com.au
Ph: +61 421 822 383
Mail: PO Box 5164, East Victoria Park, WA 6981, Australia.
KHV and killing carp, personally I think it’s a very bad idea. Yes, KHV will slaughter carp but some will survive and over time, I’m certain the virus will become less pathogenic, it’s not in the interests of the virus to annihilate a population. It’s quite likely the virus has jumped host from ? to carp. Most herpesviruses evolve with the host. So abit like introducing SVC or myxie into the rabbits – an initial major kill but then the fish will either become carriers and less susceptible or the virus will become less pathogenic, or even more scary jump to a different fish host with the consequences. Having dealt with the virus first hand in the UK over a number of years I am very concerned about it’s potential release into the wild in Australia.
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Very plausible. The NCCP says they’re looking into this. Drastic, but I think that poisoning the waterways might actually be safer than introducing a viral biocontrol agent.
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The Norwegians have been poisoning rivers with rotenone for years in an attempt to control Gyrodactylus salaris but with little success. On the contrary, there has been great success introducing sterile, male mosquitoes to reduce the populations of these insects in malaria and dengue fever areas of the world. We can readily control gender and sterility in fish, much more easily than in mosquitoes. A better but long term project using introductions of sterile male or triploid carp would significantly reduce the population of carp in Australia
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Yes I’m hoping safer options are given a fair go. KHV is too dangerous and is the reason why it’s listed as a reportable disease by the World Animal Health Organisation (OIE).
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