Carp to be removed from Civic Park pond

Falling water and oxygen levels in Armidale’s Civic Park pond have prompted a Council decision to remove carp from the water feature.

Council staff will soon remove the introduced species from the pond, amid concerns the carp could soon start to die because of falling water levels caused by the ongoing drought.

“It is estimated the pond contains 20 to 30 carp which may have been release by community members over the years,” Council Chief Executive Officer Susan Law said.

“While carp are classified as a noxious pest and the subject of a major national control program, they were contained within the pond with no access to Dumaresq Creek. In addition, the depth of the pond in the past has made the job of removing the carp difficult.

“Now with low water levels and diminishing oxygen, we don’t want to see them dying by asphyxiation.”

Ms Law said the carp would be hand-netted, transported from the park and euthanised humanely.

“This is the most responsible action we can take, keeping in mind the welfare of these fish and the need to address the massive impact this pest species is having on Australian waterways,” she said.

Published on 04 Nov 2019