Carp, Cyprinus carpio, are often wrongly called European carp. They originated in central Asia in an area characterised by hot summers, cold winters and low rainfall. They were introduced to China, Japan and Italy in ancient times. From Rome, carp spread to southern Europe. They arrived in central Europe in the 12th century and England in the 14th century. Today carp are one of the most widely distributed freshwater fish on earth. They inhabit all continents, except for polar regions and oceanic islands.
Considered a delicacy in parts of Europe and Asia, carp are the most farmed and eaten fish species in the world. However, they are regarded as pests in North America, Canada, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand.
Carp are believed to have been brought to Australia as early as the 1850’s, during the time when ‘acclimatisation’ was till fashionable and exotic species were released into our harsh environment to make it more compatible with a European lifestyle. The first documented release of carp was in 1907 when the fish was introduced to Sydeny’s Prospect Reservoir, thus earning their title, the Prospect strain.
During the 1960’s, carp illegally imported from Germany into Victoria, escaped into the Murray River when farm dams they were being cultivated in were flushed by floodwaters. The Boolara and Koi strains are the most widespread and have the most impact in Australia. At one site in the Bogan River, scientists found an average of one carp for every square metre of river surface area. Four strains of carp are known to exist in Australia – Boolara, Yanco, Prospect and Koi  | 
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