'Snorkel' sea lice barrier technology reduces sea lice loads on harvest-sized Atlantic salmon with minimal welfare impacts

The ectoparasitic sea louse (L. salmonis) is the key obstacle for further expansion of industrial on-growing of salmon in sea-cages in Norway and Scotland. There is therefore high demand from both the industry and the governments for new environmental friendly technologies that reduce the sea louse problem. Here we demonstrate that snorkel sea cages can be used to control lice loads under the problematic autumn months for high valued slaughter ready salmon without significant adverse effects on fish welfare and fish growth. This study is therefore highly relevant for the Aquaculture journal.