It works! Lumpfish can significantly lower sea lice infestation in large-scale salmon farming

Imsland, Albert K.; Hanssen, Anna; Nytrø, Ane V.; Reynolds, Patrick; Jonassen, Thor Magne; Hangstad, Thor Arne; Elvegård, Tor Anders; Urskog, Tonje Cecilie; Mikalsen, Bjørn

doi:10.1242/bio.036301

Cited by 78 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Cleaner fish therefore seems to have a different effect on the three lice stages. In an earlier study, lumpfish have been shown to prefer the larger adult female lice (Imsland et al, ). From survival analysis 1, we saw that cleaner fish of 4% or more had a delaying effect on the time before 0.1 adult female was reached.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

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How are the salmon lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis Krøyer, 1837) in Atlantic salmon farming affected by different control efforts: A case study of an intensive production area with coordinated production cycles and changing delousing practices in 2013–2018

Jevne

Reitan

2019

Journal of Fish Diseases

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The aims of the present study were to describe the salmon lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis Krøyer, 1837) situation in an intensive salmon production area in mid‐Norway and to consider implications of changing practices of how salmon lice infestation can be controlled. The results in this study suggest that there are steps that can be carried out to keep salmon lice under control even during years when the temperature facilitates a quick salmon lice development. The present work indicates that the use of cleaner fish can delay the time it takes adult female lice to reach 0.1 per salmon in the beginning of a production cycle. It suggests that the timing of cleaner fish deployment into salmon cages can influence its effectiveness in controlling salmon lice. It also gives caution to letting salmon lice develop unchecked, even at levels far below the current lice limit, because of the difficulties to control salmon lice when the external infection pressure is too high. This study took place during a rapid change in delousing methods, in an area with coordinated salmon production. Despite its exploratory nature, this study offers insights into the salmon lice fluctuations in relation to efforts aimed at controlling it.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Section: Salmon Lice and Precautionary Actionsmentioning

confidence: 83%

How are the salmon lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis Krøyer, 1837) in Atlantic salmon farming affected by different control efforts: A case study of an intensive production area with coordinated production cycles and changing delousing practices in 2013–2018

Jevne

Reitan

2019

Journal of Fish Diseases

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“…Although efficacious, these methods involve stressful handling and have welfare issues for the fish. Many salmon producers are also cultivating various species of cleaner fish (family Labridae and lumpsuckers Cyclopterus lumpus) together with the salmon [13,14]. The sole purpose of these fish is to feed on salmon lice.…”

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confidence: 99%

Vaccination with Ectoparasite Proteins Involved in Midgut Function and Blood Digestion Reduces Salmon Louse Infestations

et al. 2020

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Infestation with the salmon louse Lepeophtheirus salmonis (Copepoda, Caligidae) affects Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) production in European aquaculture. Furthermore, high levels of salmon lice in farms significantly increase challenge pressure against wild salmon populations. Currently, available control methods for salmon louse have limitations, and vaccination appears as an attractive, environmentally sound strategy. In this study, we addressed one of the main limitations for vaccine development, the identification of candidate protective antigens. Based on recent advances in tick vaccine research, herein, we targeted the salmon louse midgut function and blood digestion for the identification of candidate target proteins for the control of ectoparasite infestations. The results of this translational approach resulted in the identification and subsequent evaluation of the new candidate protective antigens, putative Toll-like receptor 6 (P30), and potassium chloride, and amino acid transporter (P33). Vaccination with these antigens provided protection in Atlantic salmon by reducing adult female (P33) or chalimus II (P30) sea lice infestations. These results support the development of vaccines for the control of sea lice infestations.

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“…Lumpfish are a more recent addition, with the first studies to provide evidence for their efficacy at small and large commercial scale conducted in the last 5 yr, (e.g. Imsland et al 2014aImsland et al ,b, 2015Imsland et al , 2016Imsland et al , 2018. Wrasse are widely used in spring and summer but become inactive at temperatures below 6°C (Imsland et al 2014a, Powell et al 2018.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Cleaner fish are less expensive and less stressful to salmon than chemotherapeutants (Groner et al 2013, Powell et al 2018 and are generally more acceptable to the public than chemotherapeutant use (Imsland et al 2018). All cleaner fish species used in salmon aquaculture are opportunistic cleaners, unlike 'true' cleaner fishes that have dedicated symbiotic relationships with 'client' fishes (Vaughan et al 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sea lice removal by cleaner fish in salmon aquaculture: a review of the evidence base

Overton¹,

Barrett²,

Oppedal³

et al. 2020

Aquacult. Environ. Interact.

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Stocking cleaner fish to control sea lice infestations in Atlantic salmon farms is widespread and is viewed as a salmon welfare-friendly alternative to current delousing control treatments. The escalating demand for cleaner fish (~60 million stocked worldwide per year), coupled with evidence that they experience poor welfare and high mortality in sea cages, requires that the lice removal effect of cleaner fish be substantiated by robust evidence. Here, we systematically ana lysed (1) studies that tested the delousing efficacy of cleaner fish species in tanks or sea cages and (2) studies of spatial overlap-and therefore likely encounter rate-between cleaner fish and salmon when stocked together in sea cages. Only 11 studies compared lice removal between tanks or cages with and without cleaner fish using a replicated experimental design. Most studies had insufficient replication (1 or 2 replicates) and were conducted in small-scale tanks or cages, which does not reflect the large volume and deep cages in which they are deployed commercially. Reported efficacies varied across species and experimental scale: from a 28% increase to a 100% reduction in lice numbers when cleaner fish were used. Further, our review revealed that the interaction of cleaner fish and salmon in sea cages has rarely been documented. While much of the evidence is promising, there is a mismatch between the current evidence and the extent of use by the industry. We recommend replicated studies in 9 key areas at a full commercial scale across all species that are currently widely used. More targeted, evidence-based use of cleaner fish should increase their efficacy and help to alleviate economic, environmental, and ethical concerns.

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It works! Lumpfish can significantly lower sea lice infestation in large-scale salmon farming

Cited by 78 publications

References 34 publications

How are the salmon lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis Krøyer, 1837) in Atlantic salmon farming affected by different control efforts: A case study of an intensive production area with coordinated production cycles and changing delousing practices in 2013–2018

How are the salmon lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis Krøyer, 1837) in Atlantic salmon farming affected by different control efforts: A case study of an intensive production area with coordinated production cycles and changing delousing practices in 2013–2018

Vaccination with Ectoparasite Proteins Involved in Midgut Function and Blood Digestion Reduces Salmon Louse Infestations

Sea lice removal by cleaner fish in salmon aquaculture: a review of the evidence base

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