Australia Releasing Herpes Virus Into Rivers To Destroy European Carp

Australia plans to spend 15 million dollars in a bid to exterminate European carp by releasing a strain of herpes virus into the country’s largest waterway. Tuesday’s federal budget will include funding for the clearing of the Murray-Darling Basin from the country’s worst freshwater feral pest, Australian authorities said on Sunday. The killer koi herpes virus, spread by infected carp touching each other and in surrounding water, cannot infect any other form of life, including ­humans, birds, animals or crustaceans such as yabbies than might feed on the dead or diseased carp bodies, according to the Australian The Guardian reports: The plan includes the staged release of the carp-specific herpes virus in the Murray-Darling basin. CSIRO scientists have been testing the virus in Australian native fish species and other animals found along the river for the past seven years and have established that it is safe to release into the ecosystem without harming other species. The virus affects the carp’s skin and kidneys, takes about seven days to have a noticeable effect and, once it takes hold, usually kills the fish within 24 hours. A joint ministerial taskforce will finalise the national plan and includes the minister for industry, innovation [...]