Aquaculture

Farmed Salmon Lice Treatment Welfare

Sea lice treatments cause acute stress in farmed salmon and require welfare assessment as part of integrated pest management programs.

Key Facts

Hydrogen peroxide bath treatments cause acute oxidative stress and gill irritation in salmon
Thermolicer treatments using hot water cause thermal shock and behavioral distress
Freshwater treatment effectively kills lice but causes osmotic stress in salt-adapted fish
Mechanical delousing using underwater jets causes physical trauma and fin damage
Treatment stress is additive with existing welfare challenges including crowding and disease

Welfare Considerations

Every sea lice treatment causes acute welfare compromise in treated fish. Minimizing treatment frequency through effective integrated management reduces total welfare cost of lice control.

What You Can Do

Support salmon from farms using integrated lice management that minimizes treatment frequency
Advocate for welfare assessment requirements for all lice treatment methods
Choose salmon certified by schemes that set lice burden limits requiring treatment before severe infestation