Aquatic Animals

Farmed Salmon Lice and Welfare

Sea lice infestations on farmed Atlantic salmon cause painful tissue damage and are the primary welfare and environmental challenge of open-net pen aquaculture.

Key Facts

Sea lice remove skin and mucus from salmon, exposing flesh and causing chronic pain
Chemical treatments for lice are becoming less effective as resistance develops
A single lice-infested farm can transmit parasites to millions of wild juvenile salmon
Mechanical removal methods like laser and warm water treatments cause acute stress and injury

Welfare Considerations

Sea lice represent both a welfare crisis for farmed fish and an ecological threat to wild salmon. Infested fish show increased cortisol, suppressed immunity, and reduced feeding. Current treatment methods — chemical, thermal, mechanical — all involve significant welfare costs, pointing to the need for fundamentally different production systems.

What You Can Do

Choose salmon from closed-containment or land-based farms when available
Support investment in land-based aquaculture systems that eliminate lice risk
Advocate for independent welfare auditing of salmon farms
Reduce salmon consumption if welfare-certified sources are unavailable
Support research into non-harmful lice prevention methods