Lice pressure from salmon farms on wild sea trout (Salmo trutta) in a Norwegian fjord
Salmon lice Lepeophtheirus salmonis are external parasites on salmonids in the marine environment. However, during recent years, salmon lice abundance has increased due to the presence of salmon farming. Scientific studies shows that salmon farming increases the abundance of lice in the marine habit...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2015-11-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/conf.fmars.2015.03.00111/full |
| _version_ | 1818246443644747776 |
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| author | Pablo Arechavala-Lopez Marius Berg Pal Arne Bjorn |
| author_facet | Pablo Arechavala-Lopez Marius Berg Pal Arne Bjorn |
| author_sort | Pablo Arechavala-Lopez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Salmon lice Lepeophtheirus salmonis are external parasites on salmonids in the marine environment. However, during recent years, salmon lice abundance has increased due to the presence of salmon farming. Scientific studies shows that salmon farming increases the abundance of lice in the marine habitat and that salmon lice in the most intensively farmed areas have negatively affected wild fish populations. The present study assesses the spatiotemporal distribution of salmon lice infestations on wild sea trout population in the Romsdalsfjord region (Norway), and the potential relationship with fish-farming activity and environmental parameters in this area. Salmon lice at farms varied among localities or farming areas, although infestation levels were under the safety established thresholds (max: 0.5 adult females per fish) in most of the cases. However, salmon farms with these levels might produce and release millions of copepods, potentially infecting wild salmonids. In accordance, low lice loads were recorded on wild sea trout captured in areas with low farming activity, while higher mean loads were recorded in areas with higher farming activity. A clear seasonal pattern and a positive correlation between lice on sea trout and sea water temperature were observed throughout the study period. The estimated production of copepods at farms and the mobile lice counted on wild sea trout one month later were correlated, suggesting the potential use of lice monitoring on sea trout as a proxy indicator of salmon lice infestation risks. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T14:48:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bb2b4f438e0b45d3ad6b98c7cbccffa8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-7745 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T14:48:54Z |
| publishDate | 2015-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-bb2b4f438e0b45d3ad6b98c7cbccffa82022-12-22T00:21:04ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452015-11-01210.3389/conf.fmars.2015.03.00111178600Lice pressure from salmon farms on wild sea trout (Salmo trutta) in a Norwegian fjordPablo Arechavala-Lopez0Marius Berg1Pal Arne Bjorn2University of AlicanteNorwegian Institute for Nature ResearchInstitute of Marine ResearchSalmon lice Lepeophtheirus salmonis are external parasites on salmonids in the marine environment. However, during recent years, salmon lice abundance has increased due to the presence of salmon farming. Scientific studies shows that salmon farming increases the abundance of lice in the marine habitat and that salmon lice in the most intensively farmed areas have negatively affected wild fish populations. The present study assesses the spatiotemporal distribution of salmon lice infestations on wild sea trout population in the Romsdalsfjord region (Norway), and the potential relationship with fish-farming activity and environmental parameters in this area. Salmon lice at farms varied among localities or farming areas, although infestation levels were under the safety established thresholds (max: 0.5 adult females per fish) in most of the cases. However, salmon farms with these levels might produce and release millions of copepods, potentially infecting wild salmonids. In accordance, low lice loads were recorded on wild sea trout captured in areas with low farming activity, while higher mean loads were recorded in areas with higher farming activity. A clear seasonal pattern and a positive correlation between lice on sea trout and sea water temperature were observed throughout the study period. The estimated production of copepods at farms and the mobile lice counted on wild sea trout one month later were correlated, suggesting the potential use of lice monitoring on sea trout as a proxy indicator of salmon lice infestation risks.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/conf.fmars.2015.03.00111/fullAquacultureNorwayparasitesalmonidssea liceEnvironmental effects |
| spellingShingle | Pablo Arechavala-Lopez Marius Berg Pal Arne Bjorn Lice pressure from salmon farms on wild sea trout (Salmo trutta) in a Norwegian fjord Frontiers in Marine Science Aquaculture Norway parasite salmonids sea lice Environmental effects |
| title | Lice pressure from salmon farms on wild sea trout (Salmo trutta) in a Norwegian fjord |
| title_full | Lice pressure from salmon farms on wild sea trout (Salmo trutta) in a Norwegian fjord |
| title_fullStr | Lice pressure from salmon farms on wild sea trout (Salmo trutta) in a Norwegian fjord |
| title_full_unstemmed | Lice pressure from salmon farms on wild sea trout (Salmo trutta) in a Norwegian fjord |
| title_short | Lice pressure from salmon farms on wild sea trout (Salmo trutta) in a Norwegian fjord |
| title_sort | lice pressure from salmon farms on wild sea trout salmo trutta in a norwegian fjord |
| topic | Aquaculture Norway parasite salmonids sea lice Environmental effects |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/conf.fmars.2015.03.00111/full |
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