Newfoundland introduces sea lice software
It remains to be seen how much detail salmon farmers in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador are willing to share with each other and the public at large, but as Clayton Hunt writes in NLNewsNow, the local aquaculture industry association is quite enthusiastic about the initiative, which was developed at the Atlantic Veterinary College;
The aquaculture industry in the Coast of Bays continues to grow and modernize. This trend is very important as the industry continues to produce sustainable high-quality products that have to compete with other aquaculture producing areas in the world. In order to help continue the modernization on the industry the provincial government recently provided about $80,000 (~€55,300) to implement a software-based Sea Lice Decision Support System within the province.
This Internet-based software monitoring system is another important tool in the management of sea lice. It means the industry will now have a far greater capacity to monitor and mitigate the impact of sea lice as this powerful tool will be used to monitor their prevalence and in evaluating control programs.
Miranda Pryor is the Executive Director of the Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association (NAIA). Pryor said in an interview with the Advertiser on July 25 the software program is a tool that will be used by companies in planning purposes when setting up grow-out sites in Bay Management Areas (BMAs) in the province. Pryor said the NAIA has been pushing to have this system in operation in Newfoundland as it has already proven to be successful in New Brunswick. The innovative software was initially developed by the Atlantic Veterinary College at the University of Prince Edward Island, and has been used with great success in New Brunswick. She said, “With this system we could report to companies what the sea lice numbers would be in a given area from information supplied by the various companies operating in the province. “This is an important planning mechanism for the NAIA, and for the companies as, from a research perspective, we can obtain an understanding of the trends of sea lice on the south coast.” “This is something we’ve been learning about, and through the sharing of information this type of system will help the industry as it moves forward.”
Keith Hutchings, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, said the investment is in keeping with the money invested in other types of infrastructure to ensure aquaculture in the province is always following best practices. Pilot testing of the software is expected to be complete by the end of this year. Jennifer Caines, an official with Northern Harvest Sea Farms. said these investments by government add to the science based research and technology investments made by our farms. “The Decision Support System software, which Northern Harvest has also supported, was developed right here in Atlantic Canada, and is a convenient tool to complement our own systems of data collection and analyses. Sustainable aquaculture is a major economic driver in our rural communities in Newfoundland and these type of investments will help us remain globally competitive.”
Nell Halse, an official with Cooke Aqua said, “The salmon farming industry continues to make responsible investments in the south coast of Newfoundland. We are committed to continuous improvement in all aspects of our operations, including the areas of fish health management, transparency and social license. “
