Cultivation of sea lice

The purpose is to optimise the cultivation of sea lice, Lepeoptheirius salmonis for use in both in vitro and in vivo experiments. Distress expected for the host Atlantic salmon is minimal, with a severity grading of mild based on prior experience of raising sea lice at our research facility. The expected benefit is a stable supply of good quality lice from a known genetic background. 600 Atlantic salmon of 200-1500 g will be used over a two year period. We will adhere to the the 3R's by using as few fish as humanely possible to conduct our sea lice research, and to raise them in the best possible conditions.There is no other method to raise sea lice without the use of fish. A. salmon hosts are required for L. salmonis to develop from infective copepodid to adult sea lice. Egg strings cannot be produced without adult sea lice, and adult sea lice cannot develop without A. salmon.