Aquaculture Welfare

Aquaculture: Lumpfish Cleaner Fish Welfare

Lumpfish are increasingly used as biological control for sea lice in salmon aquaculture, but their own welfare needs are poorly understood and often neglected.

Key Facts

Lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) are deployed in salmon cages to eat sea lice
Up to 1,000 lumpfish may be added per cage alongside thousands of salmon
Lumpfish mortality rates in production are very high, often exceeding 50% per production cycle
Lumpfish welfare needs including substrate, refuge, and light requirements are not well documented
Industry guidance on lumpfish welfare is still being developed as their use expands

Welfare Considerations

Lumpfish are likely sentient fish with welfare needs that are largely unmet in current deployment conditions. Their use as biological control tools has expanded faster than knowledge of their welfare requirements. Minimum standards including refuges from salmon aggression, appropriate stocking density, and health monitoring are urgently needed.

What You Can Do

Support research into lumpfish welfare requirements
Advocate for welfare standards to apply to all fish in aquaculture, including cleaner fish
Choose certified salmon products that include cleaner fish welfare requirements
Raise awareness that cleaner fish welfare is an overlooked aquaculture issue
Support industry transitions toward non-animal lice control methods where possible