Garware wins UK patent for new generation lice shield

PIONEERING Indian textiles company Garware Technical Fibres has been granted a UK patent for its new generation sea lice skirt, designed to block lice but not water. The X12 lice shields have a very high water flow, ensuring greatly improved dissolved oxygen and water exchange compared to older, tarpaulin-like lice skirts.

The fabric is comprised of yarns that have antifouling additives in-built, thereby reducing growth of fouling species.

Garware said that in a normal lice skirt, one litre of water goes through in seven and a half minutes, whereas in the X12 fabric it goes through in six seconds.

In trials in Chile with square cages, two side cages were treated with X12 and the rest left open. After a full, 13-month cycle, there was a 55 to 60 per cent reduction in sea lice counts in the cages with the skirts.

‘And the growth rate was better and they needed half the bath treatments,’ Vayu Garware, chairman and managing director told Fish Farmer.

Further tests are being carried out in Norway, with 10m skirts showing a significant reduction in the lice counts, and Garware has also trialled the product in Scotland.