Aquaculture Cleaner Fish Welfare in Lice Control

Cleaner fish including lumpfish and wrasse are widely used to control sea lice in salmon farms but face significant welfare challenges.

Key Facts

Approximately 40 million cleaner fish are deployed annually in Norwegian and Scottish salmon farming
Lumpfish and wrasse are effective at consuming sea lice from salmon
Cleaner fish have shorter lifespans and higher mortality rates than target salmon
Stocking densities, feed provision, and shelter availability affect cleaner fish welfare
Many cleaner fish die before completing their productive lifespan due to disease and aggression
Welfare standards for cleaner fish lag behind those for the target salmon species

Welfare Considerations

Cleaner fish welfare is an important but often neglected aspect of salmon aquaculture. These fish are sentient animals with welfare needs that are frequently inadequately met. The welfare cost of cleaner fish use must be weighed against the benefits to salmon welfare from reduced sea lice burden, driving improvements in both care and management.

What You Can Do

Support cleaner fish welfare research at Institute of Marine Research and similar institutions
Choose salmon certified under standards that include cleaner fish welfare requirements
Advocate for mandatory welfare monitoring of cleaner fish in salmon aquaculture regulations
Ask retailers whether their salmon suppliers have explicit cleaner fish welfare policies