Deadly carp disease Koi herpesvirus closes fisheries

Four fisheries have closed after a deadly disease was identified.

Koi herpesvirus (KHV) has been found in Cornwall, Nottingham, Warwickshire and Essex and has killed fish at all sites, the Fish Health Inspectorate said.

It affects all varieties of common and ornamental carp and can result in large-scale mortalities, it added.

Sam Mulholland, of Parkers Fishery, in Warwickshire, said they had lost 150 fish since the outbreak in May. All have since been incinerated.

She said they would be shut for two weeks after the discovery by the government's Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas).

The viral disease causes necrotic white or brown patches on the gills, rough patches on the skin and sloughing mucous and sunken eyes.

All sites with the disease must be monitored for a year, following an outbreak, although some sites choose to cull and disinfect their stocks.

A spokeswoman for the inspectorate said it was a seasonal disease, especially when water temperatures were between 16 to 28C (60 to and 80F) but although temperatures had risen recently, there had not been the same number of cases as this time last year.

The affected fisheries where disease control points have been set up are: