April 17, 2008

Skretting to develop sea lice prevention product with Calanus AS
 

Skretting has announced its cooperation with Calanus AS for the development of a product to counteract sea-lice in salmon and trout.

Sea-lice infection is a major problem for the fish-farming industry in Chile, Canada, UK and Norway. If the test results are sufficiently positive, the product will be launched for commercial use.

The product will be based on the marine zooplankton Calanus finmarchicucs and commercial scale field trials by selected farmers in Chile and Norway have begun.

Pelagic stages of Calanus finmarchicus and the infective stage of salmon lice are derived from a common ancestor and have many similarities therefore they may share immunological structures. The trials will test whether it is possible to achieve higher protection from salmon lice by stimulating the salmon's immune system with this new zooplankton product.

The immune system of mammals can be stimulated to improve protection against external parasites, and it has been documented that the immune system of salmon can be improved to repel lice attacks.

Skretting is an international leader in the production and supply of feed for farmed fish, with its annual production amounting to 1.3 million tonnes. Skretting is a part of Nutreco; an international company in the animal nutrition and fish feed markets.

Calanus AS is a Norwegian company focusing on the harvesting and utilisation of the abundant north-Atlantic zooplankton Calanus finmarchicus.