Aquatic Weed Management Control Methods

SRACPublicationNo. 3609

Aquatic Weed Management

Control Methods

JamesL. SheltonandTim R. Murphy*

Many different aquatic plants can be

found in, on and around fish culture

ponds. These plants range from

microscopic organisms known as

plankton algae which drift suspend-ed

in the water, to larger plants

rooted in the pond bottom. Certain

types of aquatic plants are essential

for fish production. However,

aquatic plants that interfere with

commercial fish production are con-sidered

to be weeds.

Intensive fish production often invol-ves

adding large amounts of commer-cial

feeds and inorganic fertilizers to

ponds. Nutrients introduced into the

water through feeds and fertilizers

often create an ideal habitat for

aquatic weed growth. Submersed

aquatic weeds are particularly un-desirable

because fish harvesting

seines will ride up over the weeds

and allow fish to escape. Ponds with

dense weed infestations can be im-possible

to harvest since the weight

of the weeds accumulating in the

seine can become too great to be

pulled. Additionally, separating fish

from weeds is a slow process and

can severely stress the fish.

*The University of Georgia.

.