Aquaculture

Farmed Salmon Lice Resistance Management

Sea lice resistance to antiparasitic treatments is an escalating welfare and production challenge requiring integrated resistance management.

Key Facts

Resistance to all available treatment classes has been documented in sea lice populations
Reduced treatment efficacy means more fish live with higher lice burdens
Resistance management requires rotation of treatment classes and non-chemical interventions
Wrasse and lumpfish biological control reduce chemical treatment frequency
Coordinated area management between farms reduces lice transmission and resistance pressure

Welfare Considerations

Sea lice resistance to treatments means that fish increasingly carry lice burdens that cause skin damage, stress, and secondary infection despite treatment. This is a welfare problem that cannot be addressed by more treatment - it requires integrated management that reduces lice exposure through prevention rather than cure.

What You Can Do

Support aquaculture standards requiring integrated lice management
Advocate for area-coordinated lice management between salmon farms
Choose salmon from producers using prevention-first lice management approaches