Aquaculture

Sea Lice in Farmed Salmon

Sea lice infestations cause serious welfare harm to farmed salmon and are a major challenge in marine aquaculture.

Key Facts

Sea lice are ectoparasites that attach to and feed on salmon skin
Heavy infestations cause lesions, stress, and immune compromise
Lice can spread from farms to wild salmon populations
Treatment methods including hydrogen peroxide baths cause acute stress
Breeding for resistance and cleaner fish use are emerging alternatives

Welfare Considerations

Sea lice infestations represent one of the most significant welfare challenges in salmon farming. Untreated infestations cause open wounds, secondary infections, and physiological stress. Treatment procedures themselves, including bath treatments and mechanical lice removal, cause additional acute suffering. Preventive management and welfare-friendly alternatives are urgently needed.

What You Can Do

Choose salmon certified under welfare schemes with lice monitoring
Advocate for mandatory lice reporting and welfare thresholds
Support research into lice-resistant salmon breeding
Raise awareness about sea lice as a welfare issue
Support transition to land-based salmon farming to eliminate sea lice