Will We Ever Learn ?

Australia suffered from some disastrous decisions in the past.  Some of the early settlers thought it would be nice to have a few rabbits to hunt - and imported some English bunnies.   They quickly adapted to our warmer climate and within a few generations they were in plague proportions.   They competed with livestock for grass feed and cost our farmers millions.

Then there is the problem of the Cane Toad.   We imported that to get rid of a bug affecting our sugar cane industry, but like the rabbits it got completely out of control and now it is spreading across northern Australia and decimating many native species.  All attempts to eradicate it have failed and with a rapidly warming climate it may eventually colonise the whole country.

Many years ago fish ponds were a popular garden feature and someone got the bright idea of importing European Carp as an attractive fish to stock in these ponds.   Breeding Carp became a commercial venture to supply both the plant nursery trade and as a commercial fish, but Carp were not popular as a dining item.   Inevitably, some Carp escaped into our inland river system.

We now have a major European Carp problem   Both the mighty Murray and the Darling river systems are clogged with Carp which are decimating native fish species and starving native wildlife in the process. The estimated economic impact runs to five hundred million dollars a year.   These European Carp constitute eighty percent of the aquatic biomass of our inland rivers.

Now there is a plan to deal with these Carp by attacking them with a strain of Carp herpes which some scientists think may successfully thin out the species.   It is thought that this strain of Herpes would leave native fish stocks unharmed and decimate ninety-five percent of European Carp in our waterways.

Unfortunately, we have absolutely no idea what unforseen events may result if this plan is carried out.    Our rivers empty into the oceans and it may be that this form of Herpes may adapt to some of the fish stocks so vital to the worlds fishing fleets.   We would be taking a step into the unknown - and anything that reduced the fish stocks that feed the world would be a catastrophe.

Another aspect of this eradication plan that seems to have escaped notice is the effect it may have on our vital tourist trade.  If this Herpes virus goes to plan we will have mega tonnes of dead Carp floating around in our river system, and the smell of rotting carcases will be awful.   Tourists will stay away in droves - and it will not be pleasant for the residents of towns that are near rivers.

This plan is scheduled to be implemented in 2008.  It is perilous for it to go ahead while so many questions go unanswered.   It would be plain stupid to repeat the disasters of both the rabbit and the Cane Toad now that the risks are so clear !