Mowi Scotland plans to stop using lumpfish to control sea lice in its salmon farms, according to local reports. The Norwegian multinational said lumpfish will no longer be deployed at its Scottish sites, although it will continue to “evaluate the benefits of using all cleaner fish.”

The company cited investments in new, fish-friendly technology and claimed that sea lice levels are now at their “lowest levels in more than a decade.”

“Mowi will continue to review all options available for protecting the fish in our care from sea lice,” a company spokesperson said. “The welfare of our fish is at the heart of what we do—it’s also our business model. Healthy fish that grow to optimal levels are in high demand worldwide. Cleaner fish remain one option among several, which include freshwater treatment in wellboats. Mowi has also made major investments in FLS mechanical delousing, a chemical-free system used after freshwater baths.”

Mark Borthwick, former head of research at the Aquatic Life Institute and now a researcher on salmon farming practices, welcomed the decision but noted that the lice problem remains. “Cleaner fish are used mainly to protect the salmon farming industry’s social license to operate and are only sometimes effective at eating lice,” he said. “These lumpfish have done what they were brought in to do—defer questions about the industry’s commercial competence.”