Genetic and Other Innovative Strategies to Reduce Sea Lice

Authors: Pietrak, Michael; Peterson, Brian

Submitted to: Symposium Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/16/2021
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Managing sea lice is an issue for the domestic salmon farming industry. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Center (NCWMAC) is leading domestic research using two strategies to help manage sea lice populations in salmon net pen culture. The first strategy is the incorporation of sea lice resistance into the existing genetic selection program for North American salmon. The program is leveraging the experience of the USDA in genetic selection to bring cutting edge genomic based selection techniques to Atlantic salmon. These techniques will improve the speed at which selection gains can be made by better predicting both between family and within family variation. Concurrently, the NCWMAC is also developing a locally derived captive broodstock population for lumpfish. Lumpfish are increasingly being used as a cleaner fish to help control sea lice in salmon net pens. The center is also working on collaborative research to improve culture techniques for this new species to speed up its use in the domestic industry. Both strategies are complementary and well suited to an integrated pest management program (IPMP) approach.

Technical Abstract: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Center (NCWMAC) is leading domestic research using two strategies to help manage sea lice populations in salmon net pen culture. The first strategy is the incorporation of sea lice resistance into the existing genetic selection program for North American salmon. The program is leveraging the experience of the USDA in genetic selection to bring cutting edge genomic based selection techniques to Atlantic salmon. These techniques will improve the speed at which selection gains can be made by better predicting both between family and within family variation. Concurrently, the NCWMAC is also developing a locally derived captive broodstock population for lumpfish. Lumpfish are increasingly being used as a cleaner fish to help control sea lice in salmon net pens. The center is also working on collaborative research to improve culture techniques for this new species to speed up its use in the domestic industry. Both strategies are complementary and well suited to an integrated pest management program (IPMP) approach.