Aquaculture Welfare

Farmed Atlantic Salmon Lice Chemical Treatments

Sea lice infestations are managed through chemical bath and in-feed treatments that themselves cause stress and welfare impacts in farmed salmon.

Key Facts

Hydrogen peroxide and organophosphate baths cause disorientation and stress
Thermal delousing using warm water is effective but requires precise temperature control
In-feed treatments like emamectin benzonate have become less effective due to resistance
Treatment frequency has increased as resistance develops on many farms
Some treatment methods cause mortality in stressed or compromised fish

Welfare Considerations

Chemical lice treatments represent a painful welfare intervention applied repeatedly to fish that are already stressed by sea lice. Reducing treatment frequency through non-chemical methods, genetics, and fallowing protects salmon welfare.

What You Can Do

Support salmon certification schemes with limits on chemical treatment frequency
Advocate for investment in lice-resistant salmon breeding programs
Choose salmon from farms demonstrating lower treatment burden through lice monitoring