Cleaner fish are one of the strategies that salmon farmers are using to control sea lice infestations. The main efforts have been focused on the development of ballan wrasse and lumpfish culture.

Mowi Scotland reported that the company introduced the first batch of wrasse eggs in its wrasse recirculation unit in Anglesey, Wales. Dougie Hunter, technical director, said that “after many years of research and small production batches, we have now reached the point where we are stocking our new dedicated recirculation hatchery in Angelsey, North Wales. This is important, not only for a guaranteed supply here in Scotland, but also to eventually supply other Mowi sites and external customers. This is very much the start of the journey and the challenge now is to take everything we have learned over the last ten years and apply it to large scale wrasse production.”

Mowi acquired the Angelsey facility that produces wrasse and lumpfish in 2019.