140 lasers will be installed to combat lice in Cermaq pens across Norway.
Mitsubishi-owned salmon farmer Cermaq has signed a major deal with Stingray Marine Solutions to deploy around 140 of its lasers, as part of a strategy to fight sea lice, the company announced on Tuesday.
The decision followed rigorous evaluations in Finnmark and Ballangen, marking another significant stride towards enhanced fish welfare and sustainable aquaculture.
The sea sites Veggfjell and Svartfjell are earmarked for immediate installation, with a broader rollout planned in the subsequent months.
Karl Fredrik Ottem, head of fish health at Cermaq, heralded the lasers for reducing lice levels, minimising the necessity for mechanical delousing and thus alleviating stress on fish.
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A specialised team, affiliated with Cermaq’s growth centre in Nordfold, will oversee the lasers’ optimal operation and placement. The laser nodes, equipped with advanced monitoring capabilities, offer insights into lice levels and fish health, reinforcing Cermaq’s preventive approach to lice management.
Stingray’s Managing Director, John A. Breivik, expressed enthusiasm over the expanded partnership, underscoring the collaboration’s alignment with the ongoing global shift towards sustainable farming and optimal fish welfare.
“This is a new and important milestone for us at Stingray, where we have already gained important experience for a couple of years and have been able to develop a good collaboration with Cermaq and good people at the sea sited, at a world-leading farming company, both when it comes to fish welfare and sustainability,” said Breivik.
