Aquaculture

Farmed Salmon Sea Lice Management

Sea lice infestations in Atlantic salmon farms cause significant welfare suffering and are a major challenge for the global aquaculture industry.

Key Facts

Sea lice are parasitic copepods that attach to salmon and feed on skin
Heavy infestations cause open wounds, fin erosion, and stress
Chemical treatments stress fish and can harm other marine life
Freshwater treatments are increasingly used as a non-chemical option
Lice can spread to wild salmon populations near farms

Welfare Considerations

Sea lice are arguably the most significant welfare challenge in Atlantic salmon farming. Lice cause chronic irritation, tissue damage, and secondary infections, with fish experiencing pain from open wounds. Treatment procedures including thermal, mechanical, and chemical methods all cause acute stress. Reducing stocking density and deploying cleaner fish like wrasse are promising welfare-positive approaches.

What You Can Do

Support salmon farms with transparent sea lice reporting
Choose salmon from operations with documented low lice counts
Advocate for mandatory welfare reporting in aquaculture operations
Support research into biological sea lice control methods