Aquatic Animal Welfare

Farmed Salmon Lice Biological Control

Biological control of sea lice using cleaner fish such as lumpfish and wrasse reduces chemical treatment burden on salmon while introducing new welfare challenges.

Key Facts

Wrasse and lumpfish are used as cleaner fish to consume sea lice from salmon in sea cages
Lumpfish are preferred in colder northern Atlantic sites where wrasse are less active
Cleaner fish face significant welfare risks including gill disease, fin damage and predation by salmon
Survival rates of cleaner fish in Scottish and Norwegian farms are often below 50%
Welfare standards for cleaner fish are developing but lag behind those for salmon

Welfare Considerations

Cleaner fish welfare is a secondary welfare consequence of biological louse control. While reducing chemical treatment benefits salmon, it introduces welfare challenges for the cleaner fish themselves. Developing appropriate welfare standards for cleaner fish is an urgent priority in aquaculture.

What You Can Do

Support certified salmon that includes cleaner fish welfare standards
Advocate for welfare regulations covering cleaner fish in aquaculture licensing
Choose salmon operations with documented cleaner fish health monitoring