Farmed stocks of Atlantic salmon in Ireland are inspected on 14 occasions throughout the year to monitor sea lice levels as part of a national programme. Sea lice are a naturally occurring parasite found on marine fish, including salmonids. They are small ecto-parasitic copepod crustaceans and there are approximately 559 species. The objectives of the National Sea Lice Monitoring Programme are: To provide an objective measurement of infestation levels on farms. To investigate the nature of infestations. To provide management information to drive the implementation of control and management strategies. To facilitate further development and refinement of this strategy. The sea lice control and management strategy has five principal components: Separation of generations. Annual fallowing of sites. Early harvest of two-sea-winter fish. Targeted treatment regimes, including synchronous treatments. Agreed husbandry practices.Marine Institut
