Aquaculture: Scientist says there is a need for another product to fend off the threat

Derwin Gowan
June 7th, 2010
Telegraph Journal 

Sea lice do not wait for fish farmers, pesticide companies, researchers and regulators to catch up, scientist Larry Hammell says.

Dr. Larry Hammell poses with a small salmon at the New Brunswick Agriculture and Aquaculture Department laboratory in St. George.

Last year, this bane to New Brunswick's salmon aquaculture showed resistance to emamectin benzoate, sold as SLICE, the industry's silver bullet since in 2000.

"SLICE was super-effective and no other product was coming into the market," said Hammell, director of the Centre for Aquatic Health Sciences at the Atlantic Veterinary College in Charlottetown. "We need another product."

The industry needs it before the warmer water causes the sea lice to grow in floating cages in the Bay of Fundy this summer, he said.

At a closed meeting in St. George recently aquaculture representatives discussed "well-boat" treatment for sea lice.

With this system, fish farmers pump salmon into a large boat with a waterproof hold or tank in which to treat the fish before returning them to their sea cages.

The New Brunswick Salmon Growers' Association expects a leased well-boat to arrive in the Bay of Fundy soon. "I hope (this) week," executive Pamela Parker said in an interview Friday.

The salmon growers still need approval from Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency for the pharmaceutical products they would use in the well-boat.

Read the full article in the Telegraph Journal