SAIC boosts sustainable aquaculture: validating ectoparasite distribution (models)

Researchers from Scotland, Norway and the Faroe Islands are developing a new tool to test and improve predictions of how sea lice spread through water. The tool aims to improve fish health by providing more accurate data.

The project, known as SAVED – Sustainable Aquaculture: Validating Ectoparasite Dispersal (Models) – recently received a funding boost from the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC). It aims to create a new system to validate the results of existing dispersal models used by producers, academics and regulators.

“In recent years, we have seen a growing demand for data-driven practices to reduce fish health concerns, including sea lice modeling,” said Heather Jones, CEO of SAIC. “However, valuable insights can only be based on quality data, so the tools must provide reliable results that can be interpreted consistently. The benchmark could have significant benefits in terms of helping to achieve proportionate regulation and enabling future growth and development of agriculture.”

There are several distribution modelling tools already available to help the sector address the sea lice challenge and inform decisions about future aquaculture locations. However, each model operates with a different set of underlying assumptions, meaning they tend to produce different results.

A new, standardized tool that allows comparison of these models and their data could help create a more reliable way to evaluate them, leading to better predictions of the risk that sea lice pose to wild fish populations.

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“Different sea lice distribution models use different complex mathematical techniques, but it is important to ensure that the same set of input data produces a valid result, regardless of which product is used,” said Dr Meadhbh Moriarty, senior aquatic epidemiological modeller for the Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate. “To reduce variability, we are creating a bespoke Python script that can be applied to each model, ensuring it is fit for purpose.

The free online tool is informed by several existing physical and behavioural models, which include elements such as wind and tides, the way sea lice move through the water and how they respond to light exposure. Researchers will also combine data from Scotland, Norway and the Faroe Islands to better understand the differences and uncertainties in each country’s results.

A new standardised approach means that academics, manufacturers and regulators using models currently on the market can use the online benchmarking tool to provide an additional level of validation and assurance that the outcome is as reliable as possible.

“Another important aspect is the development of a ‘data dictionary’, which can help ensure that everyone using these models is interpreting the numbers in the same way,” Moriarty said. “Having input from so many partners in three of the largest salmon producing countries, each with its own governance system, is a huge plus for the project. We hope that the end result will be widely adopted by the aquaculture industry, helping to better manage the sea lice threat.”

@GSA_Advocate