Marine Animal Welfare

Lumpfish Cleaner Fish Welfare Advanced

Advanced review of lumpfish welfare in salmon aquaculture, where they serve as biological sea lice control, and the welfare challenges this creates.

Key Facts

Lumpfish are deployed in salmon sea cages to eat sea lice as biological control agents
Millions of lumpfish are produced annually for the salmon industry
Lumpfish welfare has been largely overlooked despite emerging evidence of sentience
Lumpfish mortality rates in sea cages are very high, often exceeding 50%
Production systems for lumpfish have been developed without welfare guidelines

Welfare Considerations

Lumpfish welfare represents a significant blind spot in salmon aquaculture welfare management. Deployed as tools rather than animals requiring welfare consideration, lumpfish suffer high mortality rates in sea cages from disease, starvation, and physical damage. The development of welfare standards for lumpfish production and deployment is urgently needed as their use expands.

What You Can Do

Ask salmon producers about their cleaner fish welfare standards
Support research into lumpfish welfare needs and mortality reduction
Advocate for cleaner fish welfare to be included in salmon aquaculture certification