Sea lice are a major problem for the aquaculture industry. Now, new research shows that the use of probiotics can make salmon less attractive to sea lice.
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The Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) has released a new study showing that probiotic bacteria can help reduce mortality in the aquaculture industry.
In his doctoral thesis, PhD student at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences Marius Steen Dobloug proves that preventive treatment with a selection of probiotic Alivibrio bacteria prevents winter sores and sea lice in fish.
The researcher explains how the probiotic bacteria, when introduced into the fish, come into contact with disease-causing agents such as sea lice and Moritella viscosa, the bacterium that causes winter sores.
"At the same time, the salmon may appear to be a less suitable host for sea lice when using probiotics, and there may be a significant reduction in the number of sea lice that attach," he indicates.
One of the latest reports assessing the impact of sea lice on wild fish along the Norwegian coast in 2024 revealed "higher-than-desirable" infestation levels in most aquaculture production areas.
The Spanish study PROBISOLE, developed through the Pleamar Biodiversity Foundation Program and promoted by the Oceanografic Spanish Institute, showed the benefits of probiotics as a biotechnical tool to optimize the cultivation and reproduction of Senegalese flounder.
Researchers combined experiments based on cell and molecular biology, histology, and biometry, among others, to obtain their conclusions.
Senegalese flounders can't reproduce naturally in aquaculture facilities and are of high commercial interest in the sector.