Aquaculture: Sea Lice Levels Plummet As Ahousaht and Cermaq Set a New Standard

The Ahousaht First Nation and Cermaq Canada have reached a historic milestone by completing a 22-month farmed salmon production cycle without mechanical sea lice treatments, demonstrating what Indigenous-led stewardship and modern aquaculture can achieve in British Columbia.

This success was achieved through years of collaboration and innovation focused on sea lice management in Ahousaht Territory, which hosts 12 active salmon farming sites on the west coast of Vancouver Island.

Sea lice are naturally occurring parasites found on many marine fish species in BC, including wild salmon. They do not pose a health risk to humans. Farm-raised salmon enter ocean pens free of sea lice but can acquire them from the marine environment, especially during wild salmon migration seasons when adult wild fish may pass sea lice to farm-raised salmon.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) regulates and audits sea lice levels on salmon farms, requiring routine monitoring and reporting throughout the year.