Canadian biotech firm EVAH Corporation has received a US patent for its new in-feed sea lice treatment, Barracuda, designed for farmed Atlantic salmon. The company claims Barracuda is effective in eradicating sea lice at all stages of development.
EVAH president and CEO Michel Fortin stated that sea lice have been a long-standing challenge for the Atlantic salmon farming industry, causing significant economic losses. The product, a low-dosage veterinary medicine, addresses the rising issue of sea lice, which affect both farmed and wild salmonids, including rainbow trout and Arctic charr.
The marine parasites attach to salmonids and feed on their mucus, skin, and blood. They are particularly prevalent in major Atlantic salmon farming regions such as Norway, Chile, Canada, and the United Kingdom. EVAH noted that the sea lice problem costs the industry over £3.2 billion annually, with many existing treatments proving increasingly ineffective.
Barracuda, which has demonstrated 99% efficacy in tank studies, offers a solution that reduces stress on the fish by utilising an in-feed delivery system. This system eliminates the need for handling, thereby improving fish welfare.
Fortin expressed confidence that Barracuda could offer a balance between responsibility and profitability for salmon farmers. The US patent is seen as an endorsement of the product’s potential, and EVAH plans to extend patent protection through a Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application.
