Despite the rugged, cold conditions over the last few weeks, the Carp Management Program is starting to ramp up with gear preparations for the coming carp season. This involved inspecting and repairing the 14 kilometres of barrier net blocking carp spawning sites in the wetlands. Several kilometres of gill net was also repaired, which included both gill nets used in active fishing operations, as well as blocking gill nets to prevent carp from accessing the marshes.

Over the next few weeks, the big fyke nets will be sewn back into the barrier nets. These will be placed in strategic locations to catch any mature carp pushing into the shallows seeking spawning habitat. The secondary spawning protection gill nets will also be set behind the barrier nets.

Despite increasing the amount of netting effort only 39 carp were caught last season. It is now estimated that less than twenty carp remain in Lake Sorell. This coming season the team is motivated to maintain the high level of fishing pressure to catch the last carp. A range of fishing techniques will be used to ensure all sizes of carp are removed from the lake. There will also be an equally important emphasis on stopping spawning.