Aquaculture Welfare

Farmed Atlantic Salmon Lice Treatment

Sea lice infestations in Atlantic salmon farms cause welfare problems both through the parasites themselves and through chemical treatments.

Key Facts

Sea lice feed on salmon skin, scales, and tissue causing open wounds
Chemical treatment with bath treatments causes acute stress
Biological controls including cleaner fish are increasingly used
Closed containment systems can prevent lice entirely

Welfare Considerations

Sea lice cause chronic pain and tissue damage in infested salmon. Chemical treatments involve transferring salmon to treatment vessels or adding chemicals to enclosures, both involving handling stress. Repeated treatments across a production cycle add up to substantial cumulative welfare impact. Preventive approaches through site selection and technology offer better outcomes.

What You Can Do

Choose salmon certified to higher welfare and environmental standards
Support development and adoption of closed-containment salmon farming
Advocate for reduced reliance on chemical sea lice treatments
Reduce salmon consumption or choose land-based farmed alternatives