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Research Project: Genetic Improvement of North American Atlantic Salmon and the Eastern Oyster for Aquaculture Production

Location: National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Center

Title: USDA efforts to improve management of sea lice, Lepeophtheirus salmonis, on domestic salmon farms

Author
item Pietrak, Michael
item VALLEJO, ROGER - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)
item PALTI, YNIV - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)
item Polinski, Mark
item Peterson, Brian

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/29/2023
Publication Date: 8/29/2023
Citation: Pietrak, M.R., Vallejo, R., Palti, Y., Polinski, M.P., Peterson, B.C. 2023. USDA efforts to improve management of sea lice, Lepeophtheirus salmonis, on domestic salmon farms. Meeting Abstract. Symposium proceedings. 08292023.

Interpretive Summary: Sea lice are the most economically important pathogen in the commercial salmon farming industry. Both globally and in the U.S., management strategies have been shifting from drug-based to nondrug-based strategies as lice populations have developed resistance to most currently available drug treatments. The USDA National Coldwater Marine Aquaculture Center (NCWMAC) is currently developing two nondrug strategies to mitigate sea lice in Atlantic salmon aquaculture. One is the use of lumpfish to act as cleaner fish in collaboration with industry and academic partners. The aim is to develop captive reared brood stock populations originating from local Gulf of Maine stocks to support industry utilization. The second is incorporating sea lice resistance into the center’s Atlantic salmon selective breeding program. The NCWMAC will continue to focus on these two sea lice management strategies, while further exploring other potential strategies to aid the US domestic salmon farming industry in future.

Technical Abstract: Sea lice are the most economically important pathogen in the commercial salmon farming industry. Both globally and in the U.S., management strategies have been shifting from drug-based to nondrug-based strategies as lice populations have developed resistance to most currently available drug treatments. The USDA National Coldwater Marine Aquaculture Center (NCWMAC) is currently developing two nondrug strategies to mitigate sea lice in Atlantic salmon aquaculture. One is the use of lumpfish to act as cleaner fish in collaboration with industry and academic partners. The aim is to develop captive reared brood stock populations originating from local Gulf of Maine stocks to support industry utilization. The second is incorporating sea lice resistance into the center’s Atlantic salmon selective breeding program. Heritability estimates from the program reveal a moderate potential to make genetic improvements for lice resistance (heritability 0.18-0.20). Additionally, a retrospective analysis of 2015-2021 NCWMAC data revealed that pedigree-based phenotypic-predictive methods had a slightly higher predictive accuracy (0.47) when compared to predictions using single-step (0.42) or weighted single-step (0.37) genomic methods, yet all three methods demonstrate that significant genetic gains may be acquired towards sea lice resistance through selective breeding approaches. The NCWMAC will continue to focus on these two sea lice management strategies, while further exploring other potential strategies to aid the US domestic salmon farming industry in future.