Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to search
Home

Top navigation main

  • News & media
  • Jobs
  • Ministers
  • Contact us
Main menu

AWE Main

  • Agriculture and land
    Agriculture and land Building stronger and more sustainable agriculture, fisheries, forestry and land care.
    • Animal health
    • Climate change and agriculture
    • Drought, disaster and rural support
    • Farming, food and drought
    • Fisheries
    • Forestry
    • Levies and charges on agricultural products
    • Mouse infestation advice
    • Plant health
    Xylella

    Protect against unwanted plant pests

    Our biosecurity system helps protects us. Everyone has a role in supporting our biosecurity system.

    Find out more

  • Biosecurity and trade
    Biosecurity and trade
    • Aircraft, vessels and military
    • Biosecurity policy
    • Cats and dogs
    • Exporting
    • Importing
    • Pests, diseases and weeds
    • Public awareness and education
    • Trade and market access
    • Travelling or sending goods to Australia
    • Report a concern
    Brown marmorated stink bug

    BMSB Seasonal Measures

    Australia has strengthened seasonal measures to manage the risk of BMSB.

    View our seasonal measures

  • Science and research
    Science and research Undertaking research and collecting data to support informed decisions and policies.
    • Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES)
    • Plant Innovation Centre
    Abares

    ABARES Insights

    Get 'snapshots’ of agricultural, forestry and fisheries industries, or analysis of key issues.

    Find out more

  • About us
    About us We enhance our agricultural industries and trade, and manage the threat of biosecurity risks to Australia.
    • Accountability and reporting
    • Assistance, grants and tenders
    • Contact us
    • Fees and charges
    • News and media
    • Our commitment to you
    • Payments
    • People and jobs
    • Publications
    • What we do
    • Who we are
    Budget 2025-26

    Budget 2025-26

    The 2025–26 Portfolio Budget Statements were released on 25 March 2025.

    Find out more

  • Online services
    Online services We do business with you using online platforms. This makes it easier for you to meet your legal requirements.
Department of Agriculture

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Biosecurity and trade
  3. Pests, diseases and weeds
  4. Established pests and weeds
  5. Carp Biological Control Program
  6. National Carp Control Plan

Sidebar first - Pests diseases weeds

  • Pest animals and weeds in Australia
    • Pest animals in Australia
    • Established weeds
    • Supporting Communities Manage Pest Animals and Weeds Program
    • Environment and Invasives Committee
    • Australia’s carp problem

National Carp Control Plan

In 2016, the Australian Government began investigating the use of carp virus to control carp numbers in Australia. The Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) led work.

The FRDC undertook extensive consultation, detailed investigations and targeted research. Eleven research institutions and over 40 research scientists contributed. The FRDC also consulted with policy and expert scientific workgroups. Explore their findings on this page.

Findings of the National Carp Control Plan

In November 2022, the FDRC published the National Carp Control Plan (NCCP). It made several findings.

  • If successful, the carp virus could reduce carp populations by approximately 40–60%.
  • Integrated approaches may help to further reduce the impact of carp.
  • Releasing the virus would most likely, cause an initial major outbreak followed by ongoing seasonal outbreaks that supress the carp population.

The NCCP report confirmed that the carp virus has credible potential as a biocontrol agent. It also identified several areas requiring further research, including

  • more testing to ensure other species are not susceptible to the carp virus
  • further understanding of disease transmission and ongoing effect of the virus in natural settings
  • cost and benefits analysis of using the carp virus as a form of biocontrol to manage carp.

Downloads

  • The National Carp Control Plan (PDF 8.10 MB)
  • The NCCP includes 19 research papers and five planning investigations, available for download from the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation website.
  • Technical papers
    • Carp biocontrol background (PDF 948 KB)
    • Epidemiology and release strategies (PDF 977 KB)
    • Carp biocontrol and water quality (PDF 937 KB)
    • Carp virus species specificity 2022 (PDF 802 KB)
    • Potential socio-economic impacts of carp control 2022 (PDF 1.34 MB)
    • NCCP implementation (PDF 1.92 MB)
    • NCCP engagement report (PDF 1.20 MB)
    • NCCP Murray and Murrumbidgee case study (PDF 8.39 MB)
    • NCCP Lachlan case study (PDF 2.72 MB)

Please direct questions about the NCCP documents and technical papers to the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation.

General enquiries

Call 1800 900 090

Contact us online

Report a biosecurity concern

Thanks for your feedback.
Thanks! Your feedback has been submitted.

We aren't able to respond to your individual comments or questions.
To contact us directly phone us or submit an online inquiry

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Please verify that you are not a robot.

Skip
Page last updated: 25 September 2024

We acknowledge the continuous connection of First Nations Traditional Owners and Custodians to the lands, seas and waters of Australia. We recognise their care for and cultivation of Country. We pay respect to Elders past and present, and recognise their knowledge and contribution to the productivity, innovation and sustainability of Australia’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries.

Artwork: Protecting our Country, Growing our Future
© Amy Allerton, contemporary Aboriginal Artist of the Gumbaynggirr, Bundjalung and Gamilaroi nations.

Footer

  • Contact us
  • Accessibility
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • FOI

© Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Facebook X LinkedIn Instagram