'The future of the industry looks bright, and we can control those lice.'

Blue Lice Pioneers Tech-Driven Solution to Combat Sea Lice in Norwegian Aquaculture

NORWAY
Monday, September 15, 2025, 00:10 (GMT + 9)

A Norwegian company, Blue Lice, is tackling the persistent issue of sea lice with an innovative, preventative system that significantly reduces the need for chemical treatments, improving fish welfare and boosting farm profitability.

Nærbø—A Norwegian company, Blue Lice, is leading a new approach to a long-standing problem in aquaculture: sea lice. Founded in 2017, the company has developed a technology that prevents lice infestations by capturing the parasites before they can attach to the fish. The system uses a combination of light and water flow to lure planktonic-stage lice into traps, effectively reducing the lice population in the water column.

Video:  Innovation Norway

Karoline Sjødal Olsen, Chief Executive of Blue Lice, explained the key difference in their approach: “Unlike traditional methods that treat the lice when they’re already on the fish, our technology intercepts them early. This results in fewer interventions, less stress on the fish and a healthier production cycle overall”.

The results have been impressive. Across eight full production cycles, customers using the system have gone an average of 22 weeks longer before needing their first sea lice treatment. According to Olsen, at one site, this allowed the fish to grow nearly one kilo bigger than expected before harvest, leading to a "clear biological and commercial win".

The system is highly effective, capturing up to 80,000 lice per day.

Blue Lice estimates this leads to a reduction of more than 74 million lice larvae in just one week, benefiting not only its clients but also neighboring farms.

Photo:  Innovation Norway

A Shift in Mindset for the Industry

Olsen believes that scaling this technology requires a broader shift in the aquaculture industry’s mindset. “We want to move away from reactive treatments and towards systems that help fish farmers control and prevent infestations before they even begin. Early intervention and surveillance are the next wave in animal welfare in aquaculture,” she stated.

This preventative approach is part of a wider trend in Norway’s aquatech sector, which focuses on fish welfare, environmental stewardship, and data-driven precision Martin Skaug, Communications Director for the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC), praised the collaborative spirit of the industry. He stated that innovation is an “innate part of Norway’s attitude to aquaculture” and that the work of companies like Blue Lice represents a community of “forward-thinkers and rigorous problem solvers”.

The NSC has worked for over 30 years to help develop global markets for Norwegian seafood. In 2025 alone, the council invested around NOK 400 million in marketing to promote the nation’s seafood products and showcase the cutting-edge technology that underpins their premium status.

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