Cost Effective Protection
Against Sea Lice
Cost Effective Sea Lice Prevention Solutions
Catastrophic Commercial Losses
The sea louse Lepeophtheirus salmonis is a little creature that causes a huge threat for fish farms. These copepod crustaceans have been around for millions of years. They are ectoparasites, latching on to the outside of host Atlantic salmon, feeding off the fish’s mucous, skin and blood.
In a fish farm pen situation, sea louse infestation can rapidly and rampantly take hold, leaving the affected fish unmarketable, thus leading to catastrophic commercial losses and impacting on fish welfare.
Scottish Government funded Research into sea lice management on Scottish salmon farms found that the most cost-effective protection from sea lice infestation is in-feed treatments and long-term use of skirts on salmon pens.
TM Tarpaulins are market leaders in the design, manufacture and installation of bespoke tough, durable lice barrier skirts, screens and cage covers for the salmon farming industry in Scotland and beyond.
In Search of the Ideal Solution
Over the years the salmon farming industry has come up with numerous ways to protect their fish stocks from sea lice, and prevent the spread of infection.
There are chemical treatments, which are not ideal because they have a negative effect on the fish. Many favour the use of cleaner fish – such as wrasse – which feed on the lice, but this is minimally effective. Then there’s the use of snorkel nets which keep the salmon largely submerged in deep water, away from the chance of contamination, but this also doesn’t completely eradicate the pest.
Preventive measures like putting fish into enclosures with recirculating aquaculture systems which filter out waste and detoxify the water is an expensive solution not attractive to most fisheries.
Here at TM Tarpaulins we are proud to say that our sea lice skirts, screens and cage covers have proven to be a very successful and cost effective way of keeping sea lice out of salmon pens.
Bespoke Sea Lice Skirts & Screens
We’re on your side when it comes to the proactive prevention of sea life infestation. We’ve developed high performance lice skirts and screens designed to withstand even the most harsh Scottish marine environments.
We design, make and install customised lice skirts to fit your fish farm perfectly, made to order from high quality, durable permeable fabric that keeps lice out but lets the water in, creating the ideal conditions for fish to thrive.
Our experts will visit your farm to obtain the exact specifications required to create lice barriers of a suitable size, shape and type, from fully enclosed to wrap-around, with or without flotation.
We have a reputation for excellence in aquaculture, and being innovative pioneers in sea lice prevention, which is why we are trusted by high profile clients like Mowi, Scottish Sea Farms, The Scottish Salmon Company, Loch Duart and Organic Sea Harvest.
Tailor-made Aqauculture solutions
Tom Morrow Tarpaulins are renowned for producing high quality tailor-made solutions for the Aquaculture industry. We offer all types of fish farm netting; sea lice skirts, screens and cage covers; kelp curtains & hides; tough treatment bags and tarps; high spec fresh water storage bags; bespoke waste capture and storage tarpaulins. We also offer a quick turn-around made to measure tarpaulin service for general purpose waterproof tarps made of 610gm material. Call on 01463 220862 or email enquiries@tm-tarpaulins.com for more information about any of our services.