Fisherman's 'crazy' discovery in Aussie river exposes $50 million invasive threat

Fisherman's discovery in NSW river

A fisherman in New South Wales made a “crazy” discovery while casting a line in an Australian river, revealing a major threat from an invasive species estimated to cost up to $50 million. While fishing along Piles Creek Loop on the Central Coast, near the Phil Houghton Bridge, he came across an unusually dense concentration of European carp crowding the waterway.

What the fisherman said

The angler shared footage and urged others who enjoy pest control to visit the spot, explaining there was an “unbelievable” number of carp in the creek. He remarked that he was able to grab a few fish with his hands, but that using a rod, spear, or bow would be far more effective for catching large numbers.

Scale of the carp problem

European carp were introduced to Australia in the late 19th century and have since spread through many freshwater systems. In major river networks such as the Murray–Darling Basin and parts of inland New South Wales, carp now make up as much as 90 percent of the total fish biomass, displacing native species and damaging river health.

Why carp are so destructive

Carp feed by disturbing sediments on the riverbed, which stirs up mud, clouds the water, and uproots aquatic plants. This process releases excess nutrients, lowers oxygen levels, and creates murky, unstable conditions that are hostile to native fish, insects, and aquatic vegetation.

Economic and environmental impact

The National Carp Plan has estimated that carp cause wide-ranging ecological, social, recreational, and infrastructure damage, with annual economic impacts in Australia valued in the tens of millions of dollars and potentially up to hundreds of millions. The current situation highlighted by the fisherman illustrates how local rivers and creeks are increasingly dominated by this invasive pest, adding to pressure on water quality and ecosystems.

Calls for stronger control measures

The dramatic images and reports of rivers packed with carp have renewed calls from conservationists and invasive-species experts for stronger national action. One proposal under federal consideration is the release of a carp-specific herpes virus, which a government-commissioned report suggests could reduce carp populations by around 60 percent, though officials are still assessing possible side effects on other wildlife.

Community participation

Local authorities, including representatives from Central Coast Council, encourage residents to make the most of good weather by targeting carp to help improve waterway health. People who catch carp are advised not to return them to the water; instead, they can be taken home, wrapped, frozen if needed, and then disposed of in a general waste bin shortly before collection day.

“If anyone enjoys hunting pests, there’s an unbelievable number of these carp in the waterway.”

“I managed to catch a few by hand, but using a rod, spear or bow would be much more effective.”

Author’s summary

A casual outing on a NSW creek exposed rivers teeming with European carp, underscoring a costly invasive crisis that demands both community involvement and decisive national control measures.

Yahoo — 2025-11-29