Aquaculture

Farmed Salmon Sea Lice: Biological Control Advances

Biological control methods for salmon sea lice are advancing as alternatives to chemical treatments with better welfare profiles.

Key Facts

Cleaner fish including wrasse and lumpfish eat lice from salmon
Wrasse welfare concerns include high mortality and inadequate assessment
Laser lice-removal systems (Stingray) avoid chemical treatment but cause acute stress
Integrated pest management combining methods reduces overall lice burden

Welfare Considerations

Chemical treatments for sea lice cause acute welfare impacts on both salmon and cleaner fish. Biological and mechanical control methods, combined with improved cleaner fish welfare standards, can reduce total welfare costs of lice management.

What You Can Do

Support certification standards that include cleaner fish welfare requirements
Advocate for mandatory welfare assessment for lumpfish and wrasse
Choose salmon from farms using integrated lice management approaches