Carp Dog Treats Fund River Restoration

0:00It's April 22nd. You're listening to Sydney News today, AI-powered local news. I'm Corey with the story. Brydie Armour and Ben Chapman kicked off their Eco Startup Pets for Planet in 2024, turning invasive European carp from Australia's River Murray into tasty dog treats. They're making pure carp jerky and pellets, with a chunk of profits going straight to re-vegetation projects and bringing back native fish species. The idea sparked when they saw a dachshund go wild for fresh caught carp at a South Australian Bay. They experimented in their sharehouse, fileting the bony fish and dehydrating it, but dealt with nasty smells, grumpy roommates, and swarms of wasps. That loved the roasting carp just as much as dogs do. European carp invaded Aussie waterways starting in the mid-1800s from ornamental releases and farm escapes, exploding to dominate up to. 90% of the river's biomass in spots. These pests muddy waters, kill plants, and crowd out locals, turning healthy ecosystems

1:00into messes. After demand exploded and weekends got swallowed by production, they paused in 2025, but just relaunched this month. Now commercial fishers supply the carp, and a manufacturer handles fileting and drying, freeing them up to package and sell while keeping full time. Jobs in research and physio. Folks hate carp so much they're driving hours or ordering interstate for the treats, and the teams are already pulled in conservation volunteers. It's no silver bullet, since one carp lays up to a million eggs a season. But flipping this nuisance into pet snacks, funds real fixes for the Murray.