Aquaculture Welfare

Aquaculture Parasite Management Beyond Sea Lice

Farmed fish face multiple parasitic challenges beyond sea lice, including gill flukes, amoebic gill disease, and internal parasites.

Key Facts

Amoebic gill disease causes severe respiratory distress in Atlantic salmon
Gill flukes are treated with freshwater or hydrogen peroxide baths causing acute stress
Internal parasites like Kudoa are product quality issues but may cause welfare impacts
Parasite management adds to cumulative treatment burden on farmed fish
Some parasites are spreading due to climate warming and increased farm density

Welfare Considerations

Fish with parasitic gill disease experience chronic respiratory compromise and reduced appetite. Repeated treatment with harsh chemicals causes acute distress. Integrating multiple prevention strategies reduces cumulative welfare burden.

What You Can Do

Support aquaculture certification requiring parasite monitoring and treatment minimization
Advocate for research into non-chemical parasite management methods
Choose certified salmon from farms with demonstrated parasite management programs