Scotland’s leading salmon and trout producers have united in a bid to extend the usage and efficacy of the two most environmentally-friendly sea lice treatments.
Currently, two possible ways of treating farmed Atlantic salmon against sea lice are to bathe the fish either in freshwater or hydrogen peroxide which quickly breaks down into water and oxygen.
In a new project being co-funded by the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC), Marine Harvest Scotland and Dawnfresh Seafoods have teamed up with Solvay Interox, Aqua Pharma and academics at the University of Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture to determine what happens when freshwater and hydrogen peroxide-based treatment Paramove® are combined.
“This is early stage, investigative work being conducted within controlled tanks at the Marine Environmental Research Laboratory, part of the University of Stirling\'s Institute of Aquaculture, based at Machrihanish,\" explained Richard Hopewell, Fish Health Manager for Dawnfresh Seafoods and lead industry partner. \"There, we hope to confirm the efficacy of using freshwater and Paramove® in conjunction with one another, and, in doing so, contribute to the ongoing efforts of the industry in sea lice control.”
The anticipated benefits of the 12-month, £242,985 project include even better control of sea lice, reduced use of medicines and shorter treatment times – all of which will further enhance fish health and welfare, and help deliver higher production volumes.
“This project has the potential to be particularly ground-breaking,\" commented SAIC CEO Heather Jones. \"Not only does it see salmon and trout producers unite against a key challenge, but if it succeeds in delivering a more effective sea lice control using available, environmentally-friendly resources then the entire sector stands to make huge commercial gains in the drive to grow Scotland’s market share.”
It’s thought that the applied research project could lead to further collaboration between salmon and trout producers to establish the therapeutic value of other approved sea lice treatments at low salinities.
