New technologies to control sea lice Dr. Randi N Grøntvedt Researcher/Project manager
Ongoing sea lice research in Norway many topics: Epidemiology Sea lice population models Hydrodynamics/oceanographi sea current models Decision support systems Technology development related to use of medicaments Development of new medicines Molecular biology Vaccine development Immune control and interactions parasite/host Development of special feeds against sea lice, lice repellant feed Resistance mechanisms and surveillance methods Breeding Cleaner fishes (wrasses and lumpfish) Surveillance of sea lice on wild salmonids Development of new technologies
New technologies continuous control and delousing methods In use: Wrasses and lumpfish Breeding Health feed Plankton nets Lice-skirts In development Laser Snorkel Electric pulse Mechanical delousing Sea lice trap Underwater feeding Closed production Vaccine research Beck Engineering
Cleaner fishes Used in about 50% of Norwegian salmon and trout farming Mostly dependent on wild catch Commercial production on going: 2 production sites of wrasses 5-6 production sites of lump fish Photo: Jim Greenfield Photo: www.biopix.dk Photo: www.biopix.dk Several research projects Farming (wrasses and lumpfish) Fish health Basic knowledge of wild population Use of cleanerfish Rudolf Svendsen
Breeding and health feeds Breeding for a more resistant salmon Inheritable traits of significance No negative correlation with other inheritable traits of importance Effect of breeding, tested in offspring Health feed Several products available Some under development
Shielding against sea lice larvae Plankton net Lice-skirt (permaskirt) Closed production Snorkel merd Underwater feeding Snorkel; Egersund Net, HI (CREATE)
Plankton net for protection against sea lice larvae Net mesh (100µm) Significant difference in sea lice numbers (shielded vs non shielded cages) Photo: T.Larsen, Calanus AS 10 meters shielding 6 meters shielding Non - shielding
Plankton nets are shielding the cages against sea lice Red control Blue 6m nets Green 10 m nets
Lengden på skjørtet kan være avgjørende for effekt Coefficient Std. Error Pr(> z ) exp(coefficient) =IRR (Intercept) 1.87 0.12 < 0.001 scale(fastsittendeminus1) 0.53 0.07 < 0.001 1.69 (1.46, 1.95) scale(eksternlarveprodloktemp) 0.19 0.07 0.006 1.21 (1.06, 1.39) as.factor(skjørt)6-0.33 0.17 0.057 0.72 (0.51, 1.01) as.factor(skjørt)10-0.69 0.20 < 0.001 0.50 (0.34, 0.74)
Permanent skirt for shielding against sea lice larvae R&D Project Focus and activities related to: Technology development tank testing field testing safety measures Long term field testing Teknologi for et bedre samfunn 10
Field testing of permanent skirt Teknologi for et bedre samfunn 11
Field testing of lice skirts 4 Locations Nord-Norge Midt-Norge Vest-Norge Durability: 12 months 3 cages with skirts each locations Nordgjæslingan Smineset Bjørkvik Aplavik Teknologi for et bedre samfunn 12
Snorkel
Fish i snorkelmerd are prevented from staying in the top layers ( 3-5 meters) of the cage, but has to fill the swim bladder inside the snorkel Snorkel Net With snorkel Control
Mål: teste lusepåslag i merder med snorkel Fisk i snorkelmerd er forhindret fra å svømme i vannvolumet på 3-5 øverste meterne, men fyller svømmeblæren gjennom snorkelen. Snorkel Not Merd med snorkel Kontrollmerd
Mechanical delousing Flatsetsund delouser (water flush) SkaMik AS (water flush + faktor x) Ocea delouser (temperate water) Thermal delousing system, Ocea
Flatsetsund delouser
Skamik AS OMS (oppdretternes miljøservice), Val videregående Use of water and something secret Filtration of water inside system Commercial scale testing being built now testing in august Theoretical capacity 100 tons/hour
Principle thermal delousing 1. Fish is pumped in. 2. Separation fish and water. 3. Cold water outlet. 4. The fish are flushed with warm water. 5. The fish are pumped with warm water in a v-shaped tube. 6. Solid water surface. 7. Separation warm water and fish. 8. Fish is pumped out. 9. Warm water is lead into a tank and reheated to correct temperature. 10. Treatment water is pumped back to treatment tube. 19
Prototype 2012 Reduced lifting height Less bending of tubes Bigger pipe dimension Increased heating capacity Isolated cabinet to prevent heat loss Fish in Fish out 20
Electric pulse against sea lice A skirt of electrical current conducting net will surround the pen/site Electrical pulses will be sent out through a control unit. The systems functions by inactivation of the infective stage of sea lice to minimize the infection of salmon in sea cages. Small scale studies conducted with promising results and no negative effect on fish Field scale testing to be performed during 2013
Laser optical delousing Beck Engineering in cooperation with: Marine Harvest SalMar Lerøy Laser mot lus
Other new methods against sea lice? Fresh water delousing broodstock ongoing project Sea lice traps? Ongoing projects Blue mussels? Photo: A. Ingvarsdottir
Varieties of tools for louse control 1. Cooperation and coordination 2. Measurements Strategic use of medicaments Cleaner fishes Ring-fenced areas synchronized production fallowing Biological control measures Breeding Health feed Non-medical technologies Mechanical removal Shielding measures Others in development? Vaccines? Other non-medical technologies? Handling of tarpaulins photo R.Grøntvedt 3. Monitoring sea lice counting (farmers) resistance surveillance Sea lice infection on wild salmonids
Thank you for the attention!