CAMPBELL RIVER – Salmon farms in the Broughton Archipelago are not driving sea lice levels in wild Pacific Salmon.
“Diseases of Aquatic Organisms”, a peer-reviewed paper released by the B.C. Salmon Farmers Association, reviewed sea lice monitoring data collected between 2016 and 2024, demonstrating that natural environmental factors, not the presence of salmon farms, are the primary drivers of sea lice prevalence on juvenile salmon in the province.
The paper analyzed nearly 3,000 juvenile chum and pink salmon over nine years, including the phased removal of salmon farms from the region. With aquaculture production in the Broughton, east of Vancouver Island, reduced by more than 95%, from 21,645 tonnes in 2019 to just 614 tonnes in 2024, sea lice levels on wild salmon remained unchanged or even increased in some years.
“This study provides clear scientific evidence that the removal of salmon farms does not invariably lead to reduced sea lice infestation levels on wild Pacific salmon,” says Dr. Crawford Revie, Professor of Data Analytics at the University of Strathclyde in the UK. “These findings highlight the importance of understanding the range of natural environmental processes that shape sea lice population dynamics.”
The information mirrors statistics released the same week by Ahousaht First Nation, Maaqutusiis Hahoulthee Stewardship Society, MHSS and Cermaq Canada, highlighting a full production cycle with no mechanical sea lice treatments on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
In 2022, Cermaq Canada conducted 56 mechanical delousing treatments to maintain an annual lice level of 1.93. Over the last 12 months Cermaq has conducted 0 treatments and maintained a lice level of 0.30.
A full production cycle of salmon having been grown to harvest without the need for sea lice treatment using mechanical delousing has just been completed.
“As Cermaq completes its first production (22 months from entry to harvest) with zero mechanical delousing treatments since the introduction of mechanical delousing in 2020, This success in farm management under a strict and comprehensive protocol agreement with the Rightsholder Nation is a true example of what can be achieved when aquaculture operations advance in context of local communities, local ecosystems, traditional ecological knowledge, while incorporating modern science and innovation that is purposeful and effective,” says Richard George, Hasheukumiss, Ahousaht.
David Kiemele, Managing Director of Cermaq Canada, notes “This phenomenal result has been the culmination of joint efforts of MHSS and Cermaq Canada to first identify a clear goal that respected the Ahousaht First Nation’s knowledge of their lands and waters and what would be required of our company to operate within their Hahulli. Second the ability of our incredible team at Cermaq Canada to make that goal a reality through world leading innovative technologies and practices that were fit for purpose across our sites in Ahousaht Territory.”
“Diseases of Aquatic Organisms” data shows no correlation between salmon farm biomass and sea lice prevalence (percentage of fish with sea lice) on wild salmon over the nine years of monitoring. In fact, the prevalence of sea lice spiked in 2022, when aquaculture production was already in decline, and increased again in 2024 after almost all farms were removed. Additionally, there is a lower prevalence of sea lice in years of peak biomass production, such as 2017 and 2019.
This new analysis builds on previous findings from research released in April, reviewing eight years of data in the Discovery Islands, which similarly showed that the presence of sea lice remained unchanged following the removal of salmon farms.
“Now more than ever, Canada needs homegrown, responsibly-raised and affordable protein,” says Brian Kingzett, Executive Director of the BC Salmon Farmers Association. “With the federal government’s new focus on advancing the competitiveness of Canada’s fish and seafood sector and ongoing research supporting farm-raised and wild Pacific salmon co-existence, now is the time to reconsider the policy decisions harming rural communities and undermining food sovereignty.”
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