# African Killer Weeds Water Hyacinths Decimate Fisheries By Rose A. Valenta | Published 2007-05-03 | Eco Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/african-killer-weeds-water-hyacinths-decimate-fisheries References: [news.nationalgeographic](http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/05/070502-hyacinth.html) & [news.nationalgeographic](http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/05/070502-hyacinth.html) In Kayago, Uganda, a killer weed has returned, decimating fishing grounds and clogging waterways. The weed, also known as the [water hyacinth](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/floatis), is a beautiful lavender flowering menace, which doubles in mass every two weeks and deprives organisms living in the water of life-sustaining oxygen. A few years ago, scientists fought the deadly weed by introducing [tiny weevils](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sniper-hotshot-multipurpose-insect-killer) called “snout beetles”, into the water to feed on the plant. The beetles only eat the hyacinths, so they are no danger to other [aquatic plants](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tech4nature-project) in the area. This time, a “prolonged drought” will hinder this method of controlling the hyacinth. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.2/10 - Popularity: 25% | Activity: 34% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Eco](https://www.trendhunter.com/eco) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Invasive Weed Infestation:** The rapid growth and spread of water hyacinths in Uganda highlight the need for innovative solutions to control invasive plant species. - **Ecological Imbalance:** The water hyacinth's impact on aquatic ecosystems and fisheries calls for disruptive innovations in sustainable fisheries management. - **Biological Pest Control:** Exploring alternative methods, such as introducing natural predators like snout beetles, presents opportunities for disruptive innovation in weed control strategies. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Environmental Services:** The water hyacinth infestation creates opportunities for environmental service companies to develop innovative solutions for weed management and ecological restoration. - **Aquaculture and Fisheries:** The devastating effects on fisheries provide an opening for the aquaculture and fisheries industry to adopt disruptive technologies and practices for sustainable production and combating aquatic weed infestations. - **Biological Pest Control:** The water hyacinth invasion in Uganda presents a potential market for companies specializing in biological pest control, offering innovative solutions for tackling invasive plant species. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Weed Management Systems](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/weed-management.md) - [Noxious Plant-Infused Spirits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/james-bay-distillers.md) - [Weed-Detecting Herbicide Sprayers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/greeneye-technology.md) - [AI-Powered Weeding Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/weeding-robot.md) - [Educational Invasive Species Kits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/invasion.md) - [Fast-Aging Fish Kidney Models](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mdi-biological-laboratory.md) - [Aquatic Floating Farms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/floating-marine-farm.md) - [Pest-Slaying Agricultural Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pestslaying-agricultural-robot.md) - [Autonomous Aquafarming Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cultivation-robot.md)