Salmon farmers ‘put wild fish at risk’ in fight to kill off sea lice

Use of wrasse to combat parasite threatens natural stocks, say experts

Salmon farmers have been accused of playing dirty by using fish caught in the wild to clean lice from Scottish fish farms. Marine conservation experts say that shipping tonnes of English-caught wrasse a year - to tackle lice infestations in salmon pens north of the border - is endangering natural stocks. English anglers have also warned wrasse is becoming harder and harder to find in local waters.

However, salmon farmers have rejected the charge. They say the use of wrasse as a "cleaner" fish is part of a long-term plan to replace chemicals - which are currently administered to pens to control lice infestations - with sustainable, biological controls.

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