Picture masses of mud-sucking carp, dead, bloated and rising in greeny-yellow heaps, bobbing along the edges of Lake Burley Griffin, Lake Ginninderra and Lake Tuggeranong.

Scientists are confident cyprinid herpesvirus, commonly known as carp herpesvirus, will kill 70 to 80 per cent of Canberra's infamous carp.

Charlie Diedo has caught and released hundreds of carp in Lake Burley Griffin. Credit:Jay Cronan

Last month federal Science Minister Christopher Pyne said hundreds of thousands, if not millions of tonnes of carp would die suddenly in the River Murray when the virus was released in 2018.

Scientists say the virus will spread swiftly. A divisive step within the fishing community, critics have warned a sudden deluge of dead fish will draw all the oxygen from the water while decomposing, killing native fish.