Sea lice feeding behavior of wild and hatchery lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) under hatchery conditions.

In 2014 Norway contributed 1.2 million tons of the world production of farmed salmon. Norway is the world’s largest producer of farmed salmon, and the species is among the top five species, quantity consumed, in the major seafood markets. Infection by sea lice is the greatest disease challenge currently limiting the production of Atlantic salmon globally. Sea lice are responsible for a wide range of distresses to the fish, from mild skin damage to stress-induced mortality, which can be a tremendous economic burden for the Atlantic farmed industry. Biological control by cleaner fish has become a common approach to delouse salmon. Lumpfish is a cold-water marine fish used as cleaner fish, and…