01-17-2019, 08:39 PM
[quote kentofnsl]I have long said that until they are willing to use a biological approach they will never get the carp under control[/quote]
I've posted this before but as part of my professional accreditation duties, I took a course on the carp herpes virus and related conditions. The "cliff notes" version of what was learned is as follows.
1. The herpes virus kills 70% of the carp.
2. The 30% that survive are carriers and pass it on to offspring who also are carriers.
3. There is concern trasporting the virus around for commercial koi growers.
4. It tends to be specific for carp and koi, but managers do worry about it affecting other species.
The bottom line for Utah lake is that it would not eradicate carp, just knock them back and a resistant survivor population would be capable of re-growing the population. Could it be a "tipping point" tool as part of an overall management plan? Maybe, but there are real concerns about its use.
It is not the magic bullet that some internet warriors proclaim it to be in the battle with carp populations.
[signature]
I've posted this before but as part of my professional accreditation duties, I took a course on the carp herpes virus and related conditions. The "cliff notes" version of what was learned is as follows.
1. The herpes virus kills 70% of the carp.
2. The 30% that survive are carriers and pass it on to offspring who also are carriers.
3. There is concern trasporting the virus around for commercial koi growers.
4. It tends to be specific for carp and koi, but managers do worry about it affecting other species.
The bottom line for Utah lake is that it would not eradicate carp, just knock them back and a resistant survivor population would be capable of re-growing the population. Could it be a "tipping point" tool as part of an overall management plan? Maybe, but there are real concerns about its use.
It is not the magic bullet that some internet warriors proclaim it to be in the battle with carp populations.
[signature]