Taken from a BC Salmon Farmers Association email to Cortes Currents
Salmon farm conditions of license specify area-based and site-specific sea lice monitoring requirements for each farm. In general, the sea lice-related conditions of license divide each year into 3 sea lice monitoring ‘windows’ defined by the out-migration pattern of the juvenile salmon:
- Non-migration Window: July 1 – January 31
- Pre-migration Window: February 1 – February 29
- Out-migration Window: March 1 – June 30.
During the non-migration period, each farm must conduct a sea lice count on the farmed salmon at least once per month – and submit the results to DFO by the 15th of the following month. If the count exceeds the threshold of 3 motile sea lice per fish, the farm must notify DFO within 7 days – and conduct sea lice counts every 2 weeks thereafter as long the count continues to exceed 3 lice per fish.
During the pre-migration window, 2 sea lice counts must be conducted – with results submitted to DFO within 48 hours of each counting event. If either of these counts reveal over 3 motile sea lice per fish, DFO must be notified – and presented with a plan describing the measures that will be taken to ensure that sea lice levels are below the threshold level by the start of the out-migration window. In addition, sea lice counts must be conducted every 2 weeks thereafter as long as sea lice levels continue to exceed 3 lice per fish.
During the out-migration window, sea lice counts must be conducted within the first week of the window – and once every 2 weeks thereafter. The results of each counting event must be submitted to DFO by the 15th of the following month. If the sea lice count exceeds the threshold of 3 lice per fish, DFO must be notified within 48 hours – and a plan must be presented describing the sea lice management measures that will be undertaken to reduce sea lice levels below the threshold level within 42 days.
Top image credit: Chinook salmon fry – Photo Credit: Jake Sisco/US Fish and Wildlife Service