Farmers welcome carp control measures

The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) has congratulated the Government on its commitment of $15 million to progress planning for the control of carp in the Murray Darling Basin.
NFF Water Taskforce Chair, Les Gordon, said that a well devised strategy was critical to making the most of years of investment into scientific research to support the release of the carp herpes virus.
“The strategy must include other measures to support the recovery of native fish. Restocking and improvements to habitat are also required to give native fish the best opportunity to recover from the damaging impacts of carp,” Mr Gordon said.
“It was pleasing to see that the collaborative efforts of the Clearer Waters Alliance to raise the profile of this important issue will pay off on Budget day.
“The National Carp Control Plan is yet another reflection that Governments are accepting that for the Basin Plan to achieve its intended outcomes we need to shift from the ‘just add water’ approach.
“We have recently seen the Murray Darling Basin States agree to a package of projects to offset the water recovery target so that equivalent environmental outcomes can be achieved with less water.
“And this week we look forward to the Parliament’s bipartisan support to pass amendments to the Water Act that will mean that the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder can be more flexible in the management of the environmental water.
“Basin communities have been saying for a long time that a flows only approach is too simplistic to achieve the environmental outcomes expected from the Basin Plan, and it does the most damage in terms of the social and economic impacts.
“It is pleasing to see that decision makers are now finally echoing these views.”