The relevant entity has announced the development of a national strategy aimed at the mitigation, combat, and control of the invasive species.
Funding lines are expected to open, allowing responsible entities, such as municipal councils and the Intermunicipal Community of the Aveiro Region, to access support for the removal of this invasive species, according to a statement from APA sent to Lusa.
The note confirms that on-ground assessments indicate an increase in areas occupied by ‘Eichhornia crassipes’ and notes that the invasion of water hyacinth in the region’s water bodies has been a recurring problem in recent years.
APA states that the extent of the occupied area has varied significantly due to climate conditions, nutrient concentration in the water, temperature increases, flow rates, and discharge speeds, which have a localized impact on the chemical and ecological status of the water body.
The president of the Intermunicipal Community of the Aveiro Region (CIRA), Jorge Almeida, places the primary responsibility for addressing the water hyacinth invasion in the Aveiro Lagoon on the Portuguese Environment Agency, indicating that the issue is scheduled for discussion on Monday during the intermunicipal council meeting.
Following recent storms, tons of water hyacinths have accumulated south of the Aveiro Lagoon, in the so-called Mira Channel, hampering navigation, fishing, and shellfish production.
The president of the Costa Nova Sailing Club, Paulo Ramalheira, is among those urging an immediate response from the relevant authorities, suggesting that in the absence of integrated lagoon management, the riverside municipalities should, through the Intermunicipal Community, take on the problem.
