Transport and Dispersal for Deltamethrin Treatment of Atlantic Salmon

Summary:
Currently the Canadian salmon farming industry is severely hampered by the lack of alternative sea lice control products that are critical to a well structured integrated pest management program for sea lice. The research and scientific monitoring conducted as part of this comprehensive assessment of Alphamax has made a significant contribution to Canadian understanding of this product. The research funded was critical to support Pest Management Regulatory Agency’s (PMRA) Emergency Registration for Alphamax.

The findings from this project are now available to support further Emergency Registrations for Alphamax in all Canadian jurisdictions. This project provided regulators and the industry with the ability to identify further knowledge that needs to be gained through additional research and monitoring. The results from this work and future work will support the eventual registration of this product in Canada. This was the first time that a sea lice bath treatment has been so closely monitored and researched in Canada. In addition to gaining a greater understanding of the product itself, the project contributed to a greater understanding for regulators, risk assessment officers, and industry itself to understand farm management dynamics and how these products could be used as part of an integrated approach. This program provided a template for the efficient evaluation of other sea lice bath treatments and treatment methods – which benefits not just New Brunswick but other areas in Canada.

The salmon farming industry in New Brunswick directly benefited from having access to a new sea lice bath treatment at a time when there were very few options available for treating sea lice. The evaluation of Alphamax provided an opportunity to not only study its effectiveness in eliminating lice under a variety of environmental conditions, but also looked at methods of application to support optimal treatments and mixing of the product was also evaluated. From information learned during the course of the trials, farmers have already begun to invest in improved technologies for the delivery of treatments intended to increase efficacy and further minimize environmental impacts (i.e. enclosed tarp systems and well boats). Industry developed new collaborations with a range of stakeholders regionally, nationally and internationally. This information has been shared across the Canadian industry and the technology transfer from this project has been significant. The New Brunswick industry has been very open in communicating results of this work, operating procedures and other lessons learned with their colleagues across the country. Findings from this research project has also enabled the communication of accurate information to other marine resource users across the region to demonstrate that the salmon farming industry will ensure our fish health management practices do not have an impact on populations of wild species in our marine systems.

Project Lead: Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association (ACFFA)

Total Project Cost: $514,000
           
DFO-AIMAP Contribution: $140,000

Other Financial Support:

• Recipient and Industry Members: Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association (ACFFA); Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA); PharmAq
• Provincial Governments: New-Brunswick Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries (NBDAAF); Newfoundland government

For more information please contact the regional coordinator.

Maritimes Region: Cindy.Webster@dfo-mpo.gc.ca