How to prevent the spread of disease

Drying out: As anglers we can do a lot to help prevent the spread of these diseases. When returning from a session always ensure that your nets, mat and sling are dried-out and ideally left in direct sunlight. This will help to kill any pathogens that may have been carried on this type of equipment and the UV rays from sunlight have further disinfection properties which will help to kill more hardy pathogens such as viruses.

Antiseptic: Good carp care will come under bio-security and it is important to do all we can to prevent causing the fish excessive stress. Make sure you have a good quality unhooking mat and always handle fish with care to prevent unnecessary damage. Equip yourself with a carp antiseptic, such as Gardner Tackle's Medic Plus Gel. This treats all lesions on the fish before putting it back. This will go a long way to preventing infection from bacteria.

Dip nets: Sensible fishery management goes a long way in preventing disease outbreak, many fisheries have gone down the road of supplying unhooking mats and nets to anglers which completely eradicates the issue of introducing disease on equipment. Some fisheries have net dips which can range in effectiveness depending on how well they are maintained. Disinfectants need to be replaced every week to remain effective and are prone to dilution by rainwater.

Careful stocking: Stocking new fish is often unavoidable but must be done in the correct way to minimise any risks. When purchasing fish, only buy stocking fish from a reliable source and ensure the fish have a valid health check certificate and Section 30 paperwork which will prove everything is above board. Ideally purchase from a fish farm as opposed to fish harvested from other waters as these will be less likely to be carrying any dangerous diseases and be of a known age.