After many years of active service, the generator recently failed on the Inland Fisheries Service electrofishing boat. The boat has been a useful tool for catching and removing carp from lakes Crescent and Sorell. An inspection showed that the generator could not be fixed and was of a design that could not be easily replaced.

With the peak carp fishing period approaching, we put out a desperate call to our fisheries contacts around Australia to see if any support was available. The Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research in Victoria (Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning) responded, offering a suitable reconditioned generator that they had in storage. The generator was quickly shipped to Tasmania, installed and tested.

On the boat’s first run at Lake Sorell in combination with gill nets, a large female carp was caught. With the carp population in Lake Sorell known to be very small, catching these remaining carp before they spawn is vital to completing the eradication.

A big and heartfelt thanks goes to our comrades across Bass Strait.

Arthur Rylah Institute - Arthur Rylah Institute (ari.vic.gov.au)