Treating sea lice infestations in salmon farms involves methods that can themselves cause significant welfare impacts, requiring careful selection and management.
The treatment of sea lice creates a welfare dilemma: untreated infestations cause suffering, but many treatment methods also cause welfare harm. Mechanical treatments including thermolicer and hydrolicer remove lice effectively but cause scale damage and physiological stress. Developing prevention strategies that reduce lice challenge before infestation requires treatment would significantly improve the overall welfare equation for farmed salmon.