Sea-lice outbreak in the North.

ill foto skot

Sea-lice numbers are in danger of killing large number of sea-trout and sea- char in Alta fjord. Never has there been so many lice recorded on individual examples of fish. Researchers have found up to 200 lice on small sea-char

Researcher Pål Arne Bjørn has a doctorate in sea-lice research and the numbers of lice recorded this year surprises him. After last year extremely low numbers this has taken every by surprise. Pål is now working hard in the Alta district focusing on Halselva in Talvik and Alta river this will enable him to follow the development of this problem. His main priority is to find the cause of this year’s large outbreak. In turn this will help ascertain the main factors to watch for in the future.

In everyone interest

There are many different people that stand behind this project. The farming industry has millions at stake. There interest to make untold amount of money has meant that control of quality was slack. Now with help of the press and researchers the farmers are starting to learn that what they do can effect the nature a round them.

Hobby fishermen have long misunderstood the reasons for large numbers of lice in the fjords so we can all hope that this research can lead to a complete understanding from both sides of this argument.

We know to little

Historically we know so little about sea-lice. What we do Know is that they are a natural part of the life cycle of these fish. The other thing is we have seen a huge increase in the number of lice in the fjords since farming started. Yet with a clear pattern between large lice outbreaks and farm placement researchers have but to prove the famers cause this and maybe the wild sea-trout/salmon will get the break they need

Skot.