Aquatic weeds hotspots in the Lake Victoria basin Uganda and on Lake Kyoga: implications for their management

Proliferation of invasive aquatic weeds has developed into a major ecological and socio economic issue for many regions of the world. As a consequence, inference on where to target control and other management efforts is critical in the management of aquatic weeds (Ibáñez et al., 2009). Notwithstanding, aquatic systems in Uganda in general and in the basins of Lakes Victoria and Kyoga in particular, have fallen victims to aquatic weeds invasion and subsequent infestation. If these aquatic weeds infestations are to be minimized and their impacts mitigated, management decisions ought to be based on up-to-date data and information in relation to location of infestation hotspots. Aquatic systems in the basins of the two production systems are important sources of livelihoods especially from fish production and trade yet they are prone to infestation by aquatic weeds. Thus, the invasion and subsequent infestation of aquatic ecosystems by aquatic weeds pose a major conservation threat to various aquatic resources (Catford et al., 2011; Kayanja, 2002). This paper examines the extent to which aquatic weeds have infested aquatic ecosystems in the basins of Lakes Victoria and Kyoga. The information is expected to guide management of major aquatic weeds through rational allocation of the scarce resources by targeting hotspots.