I’m afraid lice do have a negative impact on the health of both farmed and, increasingly, the wild Atlantic salmon that return to Scotland’s rivers to breed. Sea lice, if left unchecked, cause deformities and lesions that ultimately kill the fish. Deformed fish have increasingly been seen in river salmon on the west coast of Scotland where most of the salmon farms are, as the fish pick up the lice from areas around the fish farms, and is being linked to the dearth of salmon being seen in those rivers. This has led to a fall in visiting anglers who come to catch the fish - it is, or was, big business in Scotland. Salmon must now be returned to rivers after being caught, but they aren’t there to be caught. Interestingly, in the east of Scotland, where there are no coastal fish farms, river stocks are healthier. Fish farms use ‘cleaner fish’ (wrasse, which are bred specially I believe) to try and eradicate the lice, and to some extent this is successful. There is a Scandinavian fish farming method which is very successful, but is deemed to be too expensive to be introduced here. Farmed rainbow trout also suffer from licing.
Gransnet forums
AIBU
Join the conversation
Registering is free, easy, and means you can join the discussion, watch threads and lots more.
Register now »Already registered? Log in with:
Gransnet »