When my pond first started growing things, like you, I was very interested in the types of plants they were. I pulled every cattail that popped up. I wish I had not pulled them because, I believe, they can be a benefit under certain circumstances. I may eat my words in a few years, but I have let them be this year with hopes that they consume the areas where my pond has very steep banks to help stabilize the shore. The water drops off fast in those areas and the cattails cannot grow very far from the bank. I will still pull them from the more shallow areas to keep them from hindering the bank fishing.

Any other cat tail sympathizers on the forums?

I am more of an advocate of raking the FA out compared to chemical treatments. I'm not well versed in algaecides, nor the type that thinks everything has to be all natural, but I hang my hat on removing the FA mats so that the nutrients that it represents is taken from the BOW so that it does not promote further FA growth. It is a bit more work than spraying chemical controls, but not bad once you get the right FA rake. RStringer started a recent thread that has some good conversation on FA control with a couple rake examples if your interested...

https://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=535131&page=1

Fish on!,
Noel