Graduation Year

2021

Document Type

Open Access Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Biology

Reader 1

Branwen Williams

Reader 2

Sarah Gilman

Abstract

Sea lice pose a global threat to open-net salmonid farming. As Chile is the second largest Atlantic salmon producer, they have a vested interest in mitigating infestations and increasing production. However, this will not be possible without 1) increased research on the underlying mechanisms behind sea lice infestations that will inform 2) governmental regulation of salmon farming. This increase in research and governmental regulation will only be possible through transparency on pesticide practices and sea louse monitoring data from companies operating in Chile. Taking these steps would bring Chile closer to being the largest producer of Atlantic salmon and an industry leader in sea louse management. Countries have only recently begun to explore alternatives to medicinal treatments, which were azamethiphos, emamectin benzoate, deltamethrin, lufenuron and hydrogen peroxide for Chile in 2019, all of which have negative environmental impacts on non-target organisms and particularly, crustacean species. Additionally, alternative compounds to government approved pesticides are not readily available and may pose unforeseen risks to marine ecosystems. As such, research dedicated to understanding treatment constraints and developing alternative treatment methods could increase production and improve consumer perceptions abroad.

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