Bakkafrost tests laser technology to combat salmon lice

Faroese salmon-farming company Bakkafrost is testing laser technology that scans fish and shoots salmon lice while they swim in the pen, Kringvarp Føroya reports.

The system has been tested for the past two months. One advantage is that the fish do not need to be handled in the same way as with existing treatments, including freshwater treatment.

Bakkafrost farming director Bjarni Larsen said the technology represents a costly investment. If it performs as expected, however, it could become a sensible preventive solution.

For now, Bakkafrost does not plan to stop using its existing treatment methods. The company first wants to gain experience with the new technology and assess how it works under Faroese conditions.

The laser technology is already being used in northern Norway and Iceland. In the Faroe Islands, the system is controlled from Kollafjørður, and Bakkafrost is establishing a dedicated laser team.