Salmon are among the most successful aquaculture species, and the production has grown drastically over the decade. This has been possible due to the ability of innovative aquaculture technologies to increase product diversity and trade while lowering production costs. However, these high-density food production environments are particularly susceptible to the spread of pests and diseases that are likely to generate economic damages. Parasitic sea lice infestation is one of the most important factors affecting salmon-producing countries.
WHAT IS A SEA LICE?
Sea Lice are a group of invertebrate crustacean copepods, of the family Caligidae, found world-wide. Out of many species, the two most highly parasitic species are:
- Caligus rogercresseyi, which infests over eighty different species of marine fish,
- Lepeophtheirus salmonis (the salmon louse), which primarily infests salmon species.
HOW IT ATTACHES TO THE FISH?
At the intermediate copepod stage, sea lice use their hooked antennas and frontal filaments to latch onto the fish. While they feed on their host, they remain too small to cause significant harm. However, as they mature into more mobile pre-adult and adult stages, sea lice shift their attachment method to suction, making them more lethal. They mostly feed on host mucus, skin, and underlying tissue.
IMPACT OF SEA LICE INFESTATION ON FISH-
Primary host responses include reduced appetite and growth. The increased stress, external wounds, and reduced vitality due to lice infection are also likely to increase host susceptibility to secondary infections of viral or bacterial disease. Although lice are rarely observed to directly induce host mortality, secondary health impacts resulting from infestation may increase mortality.
ECONOMICAL IMPACT OF SEA LICE
Abolofia, Asche and Wilen (2017) estimated that the cost of sea lice damage to the Norwegian salmon industry alone was USD 436 million annually.
STRATEGIES FOR SEA LICE MANAGEMENT –
The cost of treating sea lice infestations is generally high, regardless of the time and number of treatments. Among the most popular management strategies used, chemical overuse can lead to resistance, while mechanical treatments often induce stress in the fish, raising mortality rates. Out of the various management options available, using a feed through repellent can be a coordinated approach for prevention and control of sea lice.
‘CRUSTAXE’ is a synergistic combination of plant derived semio-chemicals that precisely targets the planktonic copepod crustaceans by avoiding all the unintended negative effects to the ecosystem. It can be incorporated into the functional feeds as a feed additive to repel the copepods. The bioactives of ‘CRUSTAXE’, even at a very low concentrations, have the ability to interfere with the host location and disrupt copepodid settlement on salmonid fish.
CRUSTAXE is an eco-friendly, natural solution for controlling sea lice in salmon farming, reducing reliance on chemical treatments. It meets food safety requirements of consumers and avoids harmful bioaccumulation, ensuring safe, sustainable aquaculture.
CRUSTAXE – The Ultimate Solution to Sea Lice Infestation!
*References on request