Sea lice treatments ‘working’

THE Norwegian Food Safety Authority said sea lice treatments appear to be working, with lower lice levels reported in the first half of the year.

The Norwegian authorities have set a maximum limit of 0.5 adult female lice on average per fish. So far this year, 2.9 per cent of the farms exceeded the lice limit on a weekly basis, compared to 5.4 per cent in 2015 and 7.8 per cent in 2014.

‘This is a step in the right direction,’ Elisabeth Wilmann, director for fish and seafood at NFSA, told Intrafish.

The industry has invested heavily in biological methods to control sea lice and these seem to be helping.

‘We’re seeing an increasing number of producers managing to maintain low lice levels through winter and spring with the aid of lumpfish and other non-medicinal methods,’ said Wilmann.

‘The industry need this as salmon lice are becoming increasingly resistant against medicines.’

She said the NFSA is concerned about fish welfare during lice treatments.

‘Too many fish are dying in Norwegian fish farms, and too many fish suffer before they die,’ she said. ‘We are therefore implementing a violation fee if producers do not provide adequate fish welfare.’