Sea lice
Treatment
without stress
Innovation is the key weapon in the war to keep fish safe from parasites BY ROBERT OUTRAM
A
quaculture biotech company Benchmark has welcomed the arrival of the first CleanTreat vessel in Norwegian waters, ahead of its ini�al commercial deployment. The CleanTreat water purifica�on system is heralded by Benchmark as a poten�al game-changer in the struggle to control sea lice. It removes the chemicals used to treat lice in a closed system on board before the water is returned to the marine environment, as well as organic ma�er such as dead lice and egg strings, and is intended to operate alongside Benchmark’s controversial Ectosan lice treatment, which was censured earlier this summer in the European Parliament. CleanTreat and Ectosan (also known as BMK08, or generically as imidacloprid) have been cleared for commercial use in Norway a�er more than a decade of research and trials. The new vessel has a full mari�me crew as well as eight Benchmark technicians and chemists. Trond Williksen, CEO of Benchmark, said, welcoming the arrival: “I am pleased to welcome the first CleanTreat vessel in Norway. As an innova�ve aquaculture biotechnology company, we are truly excited to bring this much-needed solu�on to the vital salmon industry in Norway. It will drive sustainability and increased yields through improved animal welfare, while also protec�ng the environment. I want to thank my teams who have been working �relessly to bring this innova�ve and essen�al product to market.” Neil Robertson, Head of Opera�ons, Benchmark Animal Health, said: “Today marks a major milestone in Benchmark’s journey to support a more sustainable aquaculture industry and create a future where no chemicals are applied directly to the sea. I am proud to finally see the CleanTreat® system now ready for commercial use, following over a decade of research, development and trials. We look forward to working with our customers and partners in the deployment of this innova�ve new solu�on in Norway in the coming weeks”. Last month, the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) for Ectosan Vet was adopted into the Agreement of the European Economic Area (the EEA Agreement), and subsequently entered into Norwegian legisla�on. The MRL was previously agreed by the European Commission, but it remains to be seen whether the Commission will listen to the Parliament and withdraw its authorisa�on. Thermal treatment is s�ll one of the main weapons against sea lice for the fish farmer, such as Op�mar’s Op�licer. Earlier this year Norwegian salmon farmer Alsaker Fjordbruk took delivery of the Kristoffer Tronds, a wellboat nearly 300 feet long, which houses the biggest Op�licer yet built. Op�mar Sales Manager Per Vidar Lange says: “Kristoffer Tronds was the largest wellboat in the world when they started planning. Of course the Op�licer had to be the biggest one in the world too. We call it Op�licer Ultra.” The Kristoffer Tronds can handle transporta�on, delousing , heat
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INTRO - Sea Lice.indd 47
Above: CleanTreat vessel Far left: Neil Robertson Left: CleanTreat system
treatment and sor�ng of the fish on board. The Op�licer Ultra can handle 600 tons of fish every hour, double the capacity of the original Op�licer. Lange explains: “The Op�licer delivered to Kristoffer Tronds also uses an RSW-system [refrigerated sea water], which makes it possible to use refrigerated sea water to cool down the
This is an important step in the “ direc�on of a more sustainable thermal delousing process ”
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09/08/2021 15:03:01
