Aquaculture

Wrasse Welfare as Cleaner Fish in Salmon Aquaculture

Wrasse species are widely used as cleaner fish in Atlantic salmon farms to control sea lice, but their own welfare needs are often poorly met.

Key Facts

Wild-caught and farmed wrasse are used as sea lice cleaners in salmon cages
Wrasse require shelter structures and complex environments for normal behaviour
Mortality rates in wrasse can exceed 80 percent per production cycle
Wrasse are solitary territorial fish often overcrowded in salmon cages
Cold water temperatures in winter are outside the thermal tolerance of many wrasse species

Welfare Considerations

Wrasse used in salmon farming frequently experience cold thermal stress, crowding, aggressive interactions with salmon, and inadequate shelter. Their welfare needs conflict with the commercial requirements of sea cage deployment. Welfare standards specifically for cleaner fish are lacking in most aquaculture schemes.

What You Can Do

Support development of mandatory welfare standards for cleaner fish
Donate to fish welfare research on wrasse in aquaculture settings
Advocate for salmon welfare certification to include cleaner fish welfare
Choose salmon products that report on cleaner fish welfare practices