New Zealand First says the Otago Regional Council's plans to introduce a new virus to kill rabbits is a massive backward step.

This comes after the council's approved $50,000 in funding for the potential release of another virus to further eradicate the pest.

NZ First spokesperson for primary industries, Richard Prosser, said it is a process that has proven not to work.

"The realities of the way viruses spread is that they take out a proportion of the population, and the ones that survive then breed resistance to it."

He also said the virus will eradicate the opportunity to sell the meat as a delicacy - as rabbit meat sometimes can be sold for up to $20 a kilo.

"Once the buying public has the perception that these rabbits have got this particular viral disease, you'll never sell the stuff."

Prosser said NZ First's working on a comprehensive bounty scheme to curb the problem instead.

The plan to release the virus is pending approval by the Environment Protection Agency.

Should it go ahead, the virus will be released at strategic locations throughout Otago this autumn.