Lumpfish and Akvanest

Lumpfish, Cyclopterus lumpus, have for some years been used as cleanerfish in salmon aquaculture to reduce the infestation of salmon lice. Although it is an evironmentally and salmon welfare friendly method the welfare of the lumpfish continues to be an issue with high mortality rates. Great efforts are currently being put towards improving the lumpfish welfare, and in this context the project "Lumpfish and Akvanest" investigated the effect of plastic and seaweed shelters on the microbiome of lumpfish and the potential implications for their welfare.