The management of the sea lice in Chile: A review

Abstract

Sea lice infestations have the largest economic and biological impact on salmon farming in Chile, similar to that seen in salmon‐producing countries in the northern hemisphere. Caligus teres infesting coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) was first recorded in 1981, but Caligus rogercresseyi has been the predominant species infesting Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) from 1997. In contrast, coho salmon has been shown to be resistant to this sea louse species. Regulations to establish integrated pest management of sea lice were implemented by the Chilean authority in 2007. However, to date, pharmacological medicines have been the main tool used by the salmon farming industry in Chile to manage sea lice, although non‐pharmacological treatments have been available since 2016. Production of farmed salmon reached 978.274 tons in 2021 and 7.72 g of medicines was prescribed per ton of harvested salmon. The highest volumes used in that year were Azamethiphos (47%) and hexaflumuron (45.5%), in addition to 5532 tons of hydrogen peroxide. This review updates the current management of sea lice in Chile and also summarizes the biological knowledge of this important parasite.

Marine aquaculture: A developing domain needing thorough planning, management and novel technological supports

“…Another two cases of seaweed aquaculture and sea lice control, respectively, in this issue also highlight the necessity of comprehensive planning and management in marine aquaculture 4,5 . Traditional seaweed aquaculture is mainly practiced in nearshore, wave‐sheltered or semi‐sheltered waters.…”

“…Sea lice have been a serious threat to global aquaculture, especially in marine salmonids aquaculture, and a review paper in this issue discusses the emergence of sea lice control to salmon farming in Chile 5 . This article illustrates the management actions taken to control sea lice and examines how health management of sea lice can be integrated into the broader health management of salmonids.…”

The Interactive Effects of the Anti-Sea Lice Pesticide Azamethiphos and Temperature on Oxidative Damage and Antioxidant Responses in the Oyster Ostrea chilensis

“…Salmon aquaculture has been growing steadily across the world over recent decades [ 1 ], particularly in the Southern Hemisphere, where salmon and trout are intensively farmed in the fjords and channels of Chilean Patagonia [ 2 , 3 ]. Due to the high fish densities utilized in commercial salmon farming, the fish are susceptible to parasitic diseases, such as sea lice, requiring the use of chemical treatments [ 4 ].…”

“…In Chile, the predominant species of sea lice is the ectoparasitic copepod Caligus rogercresseyi [ 2 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]. Chemical pesticides are the most commonly utilized form of antiparasitic treatment and are routinely used against sea lice in salmon aquaculture [ 1 , 3 ]. Different types of chemical antiparasitic pesticides have been used to control sea lice, including those formulated with organophosphates, pyrethroids, or hydrogen peroxide [ 3 , 9 ].…”

Lufenuron treatment temporarily represses gene expression and affects the SUMO pathway in liver of Atlantic salmon

“…Even so, recent surveillance has documented residues of lufenuron in the filet of Norwegian-farmed Atlantic salmon (Bernhard et al, 2022). Lufenuron has been used against Argulus ectoparasites in Eurasian carp (Cyprinus carpio) (Mayer et al, 2013), and is currently in use in salmon aquaculture in Chile for the treatment of the sea lice Caligus rogercresseyi (Bravo & Treasurer, 2023). EFSA (2008) consider lufenuron to be highly toxic to aquatic organisms, and that it may pose a risk to fish at environmental levels in water.…”