Using sentinel cages to estimate infestation pressure on salmonids from sea lice in Loch Shieldaig, Scotland

Aquaculture Environment Interactions

Rob J. Fryer¹  Campbell C. Pert¹  Ian R. Bricknell¹  Una McCarthy¹  Alastair McBeath¹  Trish Amundrud¹  Rachel Kilburn¹  Katy Urquhart¹  Iveta Matejusova¹  Paul Cook¹  Sonia McBeath¹  Catherine Collins¹  Sarah J. Weir¹ 

关键词: Lepeophtheirus salmonis;    Sea lice;    Infestation pressure;    Sentinel cages;    Aquaculture;    Sea loch;    Infectious copepodid;   

DOI  :  10.3354/aei00094

学科分类：生物科学（综合）

来源: Inter-Research

【 摘 要 】

ABSTRACT: Sentinel Atlantic salmon, held in cages, were used to estimate the monthly infestation pressure of sea lice at 3 locations along a salmonid migration route in Loch Shieldaig, a Scottish west coast sea loch. The study lasted 30 mo, covering an entire production cycle and fallow period at nearby fish farms. A total of 5007 sea lice were sampled from 3097 sentinel fish, with over 99% of these being Lepeophtheirus salmonis. Infestation pressure was higher in cages nearer the head of the loch and the River Shieldaig estuary. Copepodids were the main infective life cycle stage, but a few (0.5% of total lice sampled) mobile pre-adult and adult stages were also found on the sentinel fish. Infestation pressure on the sentinel fish was correlated with gravid L. salmonis counts from nearby farms. However, there was no evidence that particular events, such as treatments, at the farms led directly to changes in infestation pressure. These findings suggest that, although aquaculture is a contributor of sea lice larvae into the Torridon system, further work is required to determine factors influencing the relationship between farm sea lice levels and infestation pressure in the wider environment.

【 授权许可】

Unknown