Aquatic Animals

Salmon Aquaculture Sea Lice Control

Sea lice infestations in salmon farms cause significant welfare problems and the treatments to control them raise their own welfare concerns.

Key Facts

Sea lice cost the global salmon farming industry over 500 million dollars annually
Infested salmon experience skin lesions, immune suppression, and stress
Chemical treatments to control lice can cause additional stress and mortality
Cleaner fish like wrasse are used as biological control and face their own welfare issues

Welfare Considerations

Sea lice create a cycle of welfare problems: infestation causes suffering, mechanical removal treatments cause acute stress and injury, and chemical treatments have physiological impacts. Cleaner fish added to control lice have poorly understood welfare needs and high mortality rates. Improving sea lice prevention reduces the need for harmful treatments.

What You Can Do

Choose farmed salmon from producers with low sea lice infestation rates
Support development of closed-containment aquaculture that prevents sea lice
Advocate for welfare standards covering both salmonids and cleaner fish
Reduce farmed salmon consumption or choose wild-caught alternatives