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A PROJECT to evaluate the control of sea lice in salmon farms has been announced in Newfoundland, Canada, the St Johns Telegram reported.
Researchers will use a $358,000 investment from the provincial government to support the growth of the industry in the Coast of Bays.
Through the research project, alternative methods for sea lice removal at sites using cleaner fish, specifically conners and lumpfish, which are native to the province’s coastal waters, will be evaluated.
‘Research and development is a key building block of the aquaculture sector,’ said fisheries minister Darin King. ‘Building on the strong collaborative relationships among academic researchers, business and government, this project will enhance capacity in our province and help salmon farmers overcome the fish health challenges posed by sea lice.’
The project involves industry collabora- tion with Cold Ocean Salmon, a subsidiary of Cooke Aquaculture, which operates a facility in St Alban’s, where research will take place.
It involves a largescale field trial using cultured cleaner fish in a sea cage validation trial to test the effective removal of sea lice from farmed salmon.
‘Fish health and welfare is a top priority for us at Cold Ocean Salmon,’ said Sheldon George, the company’s Newfoundland and Labrador production manager.