The ' KHV ' virus killing carp....

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Tee-Cee

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On my way to fishing this morning at around 5.45 I caught the tail end of the ' Farming Today ' programme on Radio 4.
In one section they were talking about the KHV virus which apparently killed some 500 carp this summer at a fishery in Worcestershire, causing the venue to be closed for several weeks. They also said ' careless anglers ' could be ( not, ARE ) spreading the disease via nets etc that are not disinfected ( via dips )between trips to different venues.
They mentioned 11 cases of the virus have been recorded in various parts of the country including Cornwall, Lincolnshire and Staffordshire.......

I understand it only affects carp ?

I know ' chrissh ' raised this subject in early August, but I thought it worth raising again and perhaps if someone knows what ' disinfectant ' could be used at home ( no precautions taken on my fisheries !! ) to dip nets perhaps they could add in to this thread..............

This may not be serious long term, but I think we all have a sense of duty around such things, although I'm sure some will only see it as someone else's problem .........
 
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barbelboi

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As far as I know KHV will not survive exposure to sunlight. Therefore dry your nets in sunlight...
 
Keith M

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For those who need to know more about the Koi Herpes Virus (KHV) read the info on the following link which contains the facts about this virus and what to do if it is suspected at your water (written by Dr Bruno Broughton)

Koi Herpes Virus (KHV) - PLEASE READ

Keith
 
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Keith M

Keith M

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barbelboi said:
As far as I know KHV will not survive exposure to sunlight. Therefore dry your nets in sunlight...
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'Quote from Dr Bruno Broughtons info'

Means of Infection

KHV is spread by direct contact between fish, with fluids from infected fish, or with water or mud from infected systems. It is also likely that the virus can live for a short period in water, fish slime and even fish faeces. There is circumstantial evidence - but no scientific proof - that anglers' nets, water birds and aquatic mammals could spread it between fisheries.
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I was advised that It's not the sunlight alone that kills KHV, it's 'drying out of your nets completely' (whether it's in sunlight or not) that can kill it and that it could survive in damp nets and other damp equipment even if it's been lying in the sun.
So to minimise the risk of infection from damp equipment (netting, unhooking mats & weigh slings) one of my clubs has stipulated using dip tanks for over 13 years now just as a precaution because we can't trust all of our anglers to completely dry their equipment between outings.

Keith
 
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Yes, the ' sun ' element of killing the virus is fine except we do have long period in this country without it..
Personally I wash and hang my nets in the garden through the year but I do wonder how many don't bother and leave them until the stink just becomes tooooooo much !!

Even a ' spray ' leaves it to the individual to buy and use it, even if one were available.

As I said the programme stated ' nets should be disinfected ' BUT DIDN'T say how, ( or with what ) this should be carried out so all I'm saying is confusion exists with many differing opinions.

Best make a plan that work now than leave it until the virus has spread uncontrollably........................think Foot and Mouth disease, which, even on a lesser scale would be a disaster for carp fisherman !!

Yes, I can hear ' let's not get carried away ' but....................................................
 
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Aussie Bob..........I've just checked where the Murray darling river is, and will be arranging for a plane load of UK ' carpies ' to land in Adelaide, Melbourne and Brisbane airports to sort you guys out and arrange ' Save the carp ' protests.

Control carp, Bob ? What are you guys thinking ? You could be stood against the wall for such things in the UK !!

The leaders of this debacle may need to be deported to N Zealand and made to watch the All Blacks for life - and serves them right !!!

As for daughterless carp ; well, I've almost choked on my cereal...............


ps On a serious note ; It seems a bit OTT to ' introduce ' KHV.....How on earth do you control it, once released ??
 
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Carp are obviously not a well regarded species in Australia i think the Save the Carp campaign would be very short lived !!! Once the virus is out there is it stays out there i suppose until the carp develop some sort of resistance and its less effective. Considering the Murray Darling system is somewhere in region of 2000km how they are going to introduce it across such a large body all at once will be some logistical nightmare.
I was up in Leeton in NSW last month which is on the Murumbidgee which runs into the Murray and the locals were worried about the potential for large amounts of rotting carp in the waterway once KHV gets a grip.
 
no-one in particular

no-one in particular

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Aussie Bob said:
Carp are obviously not a well regarded species in Australia i think the Save the Carp campaign would be very short lived !!! Once the virus is out there is it stays out there i suppose until the carp develop some sort of resistance and its less effective. Considering the Murray Darling system is somewhere in region of 2000km how they are going to introduce it across such a large body all at once will be some logistical nightmare.
I was up in Leeton in NSW last month which is on the Murumbidgee which runs into the Murray and the locals were worried about the potential for large amounts of rotting carp in the waterway once KHV gets a grip.
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"until the carp develop some sort of resistance"
Thats the problem with these kind of controls Bob. You end up with a super strain of resistance fish and then your stuck in a cycle, keep having to find a more virulent type of control and so on. Look at mxy in rabbits and human viruses reactions to inoculation. Its a short term solution but risky in the long term.
There is some speculation as to whether its better to introduce a very virulent virus in the first place that ensures everything is killed out right so the virus and the host all die in the end. Medical wisdom thinks this may have been the mistake with antibiotics, giving mild forms to patients so some of the bugs can survive and develop immunity with ease. If very strong antibiotics were given in the first place, all of the bugs would have got wiped out and no cycle of resistance given the chance to develop.. Bit late now but we have ended up with super resistance bugs. Forethought might have prevented this; speculation but there is some medical thought that thinks this.
Whether a very strong virulent virus could be found that affected carp and ensured none survived, too strong for their immune systems to have time to develop a resistance!!! The nightmare future but maybe a wiser way forward then using weaker controlling viruses given the history of this..
I do wonder sometimes if patience is the better alternative, nature hates an imbalance and will usually find its own solution given time.
 
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One good thing regarding KHV is the fact that Crucians are immune to it. They can carry the KHV virus but are not at risk from it.
 
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Does it really matter if a few carp die this country is overstocked with them and there are plenty more waiting to be stocked into already overstocked waters.
 
sam vimes

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steve2 said:
Does it really matter if a few carp die this country is overstocked with them and there are plenty more waiting to be stocked into already overstocked waters.
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I guess that depends on whether you own them, as part of a group or as an individual. Besides, not all waters are overstocked. Do I care a great deal about the local commie getting it? Not really, though I wouldn't wish it upon them. I do care about any number of club waters and syndicates though, especially the one that I've poured money and time into for a number of years. Though it may be less likely to happen than at a big commie, a KHV infection could be catastrophic for many clubs and genuine syndicates. Even if I disliked carp as much as you, I couldn't wish it upon anyone. There are a few species of fish that I don't like much. There's not one that I'd be pleased to see dead.
 
robtherake

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Aussie Bob said:
Meanwhile in Australia they are going to deliberately release KHV into the Murray Darling system to control Carp...

https://blog.csiro.au/reclaiming-our-rivers-from-feral-carp/

Was even bought up during the election ..they are still working on daughterless carp project as well...

Strange world ...prized fish on one side of the world pest on the other.
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Mildly amusing to see what carp are used for in other parts of the world. Fishmeal is just one. It would be ironic if our own fishmeal groundbaits are carp-based.

"Businesses that harvest carp to use as fertilizer will still be able to do this, as the initial release will mean a lot of dead fish will be available for this purpose. Even as numbers diminish there will still be carp available as the virus alone will not eradicate all the carp, so it’s important that we have complimentary control measures, like harvesting, to keep numbers low."
 
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