A new international research project, known as SAVED, or "Sustainable Aquaculture: Validating Ectoparasite Dispersal (Models)," aims to enhance the accuracy of sea lice dispersion predictions and boost fish health management.

A consortium of researchers from Scotland, Norway, and the Faroe Islands is spearheading the initiative, which has recently secured additional funding from the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC).

"There is increasing demand for data-driven practices to address fish health concerns, including sea lice modeling. Reliable tools that provide consistent results are essential. This project exemplifies international collaboration for the greater good and could greatly benefit regulation and the future development of aquaculture," SAIC's CEO Heather Jones stated. 

The project aims to standardize model validation and improve the reliability of predictions concerning the impact of sea lice on wild fish populations by developing a new benchmark testing tool.

"Different sea lice dispersal models use varying complex mathematical techniques, but it is crucial that the same set of input data produces a valid result regardless of the model used. To achieve this, we are developing a bespoke Python script that can be applied universally to ensure each model is fit for purpose," said Meadhbh Moriarty, a senior aquatic epidemiological modeler at the Scottish Government's Marine Directorate.

A key component of the project is the creation of a "data dictionary" to ensure uniform interpretation of figures across different models. "Having input from so many partners across three major salmon-producing nations, each with its own governance system, is a significant advantage. We aim for the aquaculture sector to widely adopt this standard, improving sea lice management," Moriarty added.

The project's diverse team includes the University of Strathclyde, Mowi Scotland, Scottish Sea Farms, Bakkafrost Scotland, the Scottish Government's Marine Directorate, the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research, Firum, the Aquaculture Research Station of the Faroes, and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, or SEPA, as an observer.

"We hope this project will create a tool for consistent, rigorous, and transparent cross-comparison of sea lice dispersal models and their evaluations against real-world observations," Philip Gillibrand, oceanographer and hydrodynamic modeler at Mowi, concluded.