The Banksia Environmental Awards
4 June, 2004

Charlie Carp recognised as an environmental winner - Banksia Awards 2004 - Presented June 5th 2004

The commitment of NSW Company Charlie Carp to turn an unwanted environmental pest – the European Carp – into a sustainable product has seen it awarded a prestigious national Banksia Environmental Award.

The recognition for Leadership in Sustainable Product Design is the second significant award made to the company and follows the presentation of an Australian Small Business Award for Environmental Best Practice in 2000. Charlie Carp Managing Director, Harold Clapham said the company was very proud to have won the Banksia Award and said he believed it reinforced the very strong environmental credentials of the company.

Mr Clapham said the increasing market success of the Charlie Carp liquid fertiliser products highlighted that Australian consumers were willing to get behind a company with the right products and the right environmental credentials.

He said the company had adopted a unique approach and a unique philosophy from day one, turning a damaging pest into a commercial product.

“From the viewpoint of Charlie Carp this Award recognises that we are on the right track with our approach to the development of the product.”

Mr Clapham explained the overall company philosophy was one of environmental responsibility. “Removing the carp is an important first step but we also pride ourselves on the fact that there is little or no waste from the production, packaging and end use of the product. We use every bit of the carp in the production process, our packaging is able to be recycled or reused and the liquid fish emulsion helps to regenerate the soil and maintain a healthy and productive growing environment.”

“Our approach is to use every bit of the carp with virtually no waste from the time the fish leaves the water to the time it enters the soil as liquid fertiliser. As part of our environmental commitment we are now developing a certified organic form of fish emulsion which will allow consumers the opportunity to grow organically from the fish to the feast.”

Mr Clapham said there was no doubt that consumers today are very savvy when it comes to choosing products that contribute to a better environment.

“When consumers buy our product they are buying into a wider commitment to save our inland waterways from ongoing destruction by European Carp – through something as simple as their use of a liquid fish emulsion.”

Mr Clapham said Charlie Carp was a “growing” company in every sense of the word, taking a positive approach to a serious problem.

“The fact that we have a range of products that work and work well is something that can only assist us further in the fight against European Carp.”

Based in Deniliquin, Charlie Carp removes hundreds of tonnes of the so called “rabbits of the waterways” each year, producing a range of liquid fish fertiliser from what was previously seen as an unwanted and environmentally damaging pest.

The aim of the company has always been a simple one - to control the most significant, environmentally damaging pest ever introduced into the Australian water system. Mr Clapham explained that carp were now a major menace in Australia’s inland waterways, breeding prolifically, undermining banks, disturbing aquatic plant life and placing increasing pressure on native fish species. In the Murray Darling River system alone, some 80% of the entire fish biomass is carp and some 15% of native fish species are now under threat, he said. He said that prior to the development of Charlie Carp there was little incentive to physically remove carp from the waterways.

Everyone knew we had a real environmental problem on our hands but the cost of doing something about it was simply too high for individuals to contemplate, he said. “If we had not attached a commercial value to this environmental menace the very fish that are now fertilising plants across Australia would still be infesting our waterways.” Mr Clapham said the Charlie Carp approach to innovation and product development was typical of the “can do” nature of rural Australia.

“While the physical removal of carp will never totally eradicate the problem, a significant reduction in numbers will allow native fish numbers to increase, promote increased biodiversity and assist in the successful rehabilitation of the land along our waterways.”

“Anyone with a love of Australian inland waterways would have to agree with our saying – ‘Charlie Carp – it’s a good fish dead’,” Mr Clapham said.

Media contact: Harold Clapham – 03 5881 7700 / 0408 668 943