Two contractors are removing "several thousand kilograms" of carp from Lake Wyangan in a bid to improve the water quality.
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Keith Bell and Luke Golding from K&C Fisheries Global have spent the past week baiting hundreds of European carp into an area of the lake, before using nets to remove them from the water.
The pair have been contracted to do the work by Griffith City Council.
RELATED | Red alert issued for Lake Wyangan
All fish caught are recorded and reported, and native species are returned to the lake.
Captured carp are sold to Charlie Carp in Deniliquin to be turned into liquid fertiliser for gardening.
European carp are considered an invasive species and have a well-documented negative impact on Australian waterways, with the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office saying they reduce water quality, damage riverbanks and contribute to blue-green algae blooms.
We're expecting several thousand kilograms by the time we're done
- Keith Bell, K&C Fisheries Global
Mr Bell said he believes they are making "a big dent" on carp populations in Lake Wyangan.
"We got a bit over a thousand kilograms of them today, and we're expecting several thousand kilograms by the time we're done," Mr Bell said.
"It's been going good, we're happy with what we're doing ... we'll make a big dent."
The largest carp they have removed has been as large as 8 kilograms, but Mr Golding joked "there's a big one out there".
"I reckon there's a 10 kilogram one out there that we haven't found yet," Mr Golding said.
Mr Bell said he would be donating half of the money they make selling the carp to Griffith Base Hospital.
The carp removal work is expected to wrap up by Wednesday, February 17.
According to council, the removal of carp is "just one of a range" of tactics being undertaken to improve the water quality at the lake.
Council said 5000 murray cod and 5000 yellow belly fingerlings have been released into the water over the past few months, and they are investigating the possibility of installing screens on entrances to the lake to prevent large carp from entering.
The lake is currently on red alert, as a result of significant blue-green algae levels.
Griffith residents are advised to not enter the water, drink untreated water or bathe in water drawn from the lake while this red alert warning is in place.
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