Salmon Lice Cleaner Fish Welfare

Wrasse and lumpfish used to control sea lice in salmon farms are themselves welfare subjects that receive inadequate attention relative to the salmon they serve.

Key Facts

Millions of wrasse and lumpfish are deployed in Norwegian salmon farms annually
Cleaner fish welfare is largely overlooked despite being sentient animals
Wrasse are wild-caught in large numbers, depleting wild populations in some areas
Cleaner fish experience high mortality rates in salmon farms from disease and aggression
Welfare requirements for cleaner fish in aquaculture regulations are minimal or absent

Welfare Considerations

Cleaner fish welfare represents a double layer of neglect: these animals are used as tools to solve a welfare problem in another species while their own welfare is largely ignored. Wrasse and lumpfish are sentient animals with behavioral and environmental needs. Wild-caught wrasse removed from diverse reef environments and placed in open-net salmon pens experience significant welfare disruption. High mortality rates from salmon farm pathogens and salmon aggression indicate that cleaner fish face severe welfare challenges in their role.

What You Can Do

Support regulations that include cleaner fish welfare requirements in aquaculture standards
Advocate for transition away from wild-caught wrasse to reduce wild population pressure
Choose salmon from operations using non-biological sea lice control methods
Support research into welfare-positive sea lice management alternatives