Alien invasion threatens our waterways

CONCERNS voiced by anglers and conservationists about pondweed — both the Canadian and African varieties — in some of our most famous lakes highlight the impact of many invasive, alien species in Ireland.

The fast-growing pondweed has become a nuisance in Lough Lein in Killarney and Lough Corrib in the west, among others, and is just one of hundreds of unwelcome flora or fauna species that have taken root here.

Mink and zebra mussels are other unwelcome invaders which can have devastating consequences for other wildlife.