New case study: evaluating Tubenet™ as a preventative sea lice solution for Scottish salmon farming

Understanding the efficacy and impacts of Tubenet™ on fish stocks and its efficacy against sea lice in Scotland

Sea lice remain a challenge for Scotland’s salmon sector. Producers employ a range of treatments including physical and biological control methods. Preventative technologies such as physical barriers are also becoming a component of integrated pest management strategies.

Tubenet™ is a technology designed to reduce sea lice infections by separating salmon from the upper water layers where lice larvae concentrate. Although successful trials have been carried out in Norway, Scottish coastal environments differ significantly in depth, currents and net-pen design. This project aimed to evaluate whether Tubenet™ could be deployed in Scotland.

The study planned to examine impacts on salmon behaviour, feeding, welfare, growth, water quality and sea lice distribution. The project partners were the University of Stirling, Mowi Scotland and AKVA group.

A full-scale commercial trial was designed using acoustic tracking: 100 salmon would be tagged, and their swimming depth, speed and use of the Tubenet™ ‘snorkel’ monitored for five months via hydrophones installed throughout the pen. Water quality loggers, lice counts and farm performance data would have complemented behaviour analysis using tools developed at the University of Stirling.

Although the trial was prepared incuding technical setup, equipment calibration, training, ethical approval and logistics, the Covid pandemic caused critical delays. Restrictions affected equipment delivery, site access and scheduling, and by the time access was possible, the fish cohort was too close to harvest for a viable trial. Without an alternative site, the project was ultimately terminated.

Work on Tubenet™ continues in Norway, and future trials in Scotland may be reconsidered if results remain promising.

Read the case study