Government fisheries inspectors believe that the deadly Koi Herpes Virus (KHV) that is currently sweeping Japan may have infected wild carp populations in the UK.
According to a report in today's Guardian, scientists investigating carp deaths at six UK angling lakes last year may have found KHV antibodies in the fish examined.
Dr Kevin Denham of CEFAS told The Guardian: "We haven't sufficient evidence to say, 'this was the cause of mortality'. We have plenty of circumstantial evidence to say it probably was. Whilst we have 90% of the picture in some circumstances, we need to be absolutely certain before we say this is causing significant mortality in the wild in this country."
However, since KHV is not yet a notifiable disease, they are not obliged to name the lakes nor investigate how the infected fish came to be stocked in the waters.
Tim Marks, Vice President of the Specialist Anglers' Alliance, told the Guardian: "If there is serious fish kill , we have a major problem on our hands. If there are fish in the wild already with the disease, you are shutting the door after the horse has bolted."
Another carp angling expert suggested to The Guardian that the ornamental fish industry, and irresponsible fishkeepers, could be to blame for illegally releasing unwanted Koi carrying the virus.
However, it is also possible that the disease has been imported through the illegal trade in carp smuggled into the UK for stocking angling lakes. Last year carp smugglers were fined a record sum for smuggling fish into the UK from an area known to harbour the deadly virus Spring Viraemia of Carp (SVC).
An Environment Agency Senior Fisheries Advisor also told the paper that incidents last year had been quite widespread and that it was likely to have come from the ornamental fish trade.
The Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association (OATA) has been working hard to ensure that its members know the risks of KHV, and its suggested actions for the control of the disease have stood up to rigorous scientific study.
OATA told PFK to urge to all fishkeepers that they purchase fish from members who have correctly followed OATA guidelines on the correct quarantine of pond fishes.