Sea lice cost the salmon farming industry an estimated $4 billion a year © EVAH
Called Barracuda, EVAH says it demonstrates consistently high efficacy (>99 percent in tank studies) at low, patented dosage against all parasitic stages of sea lice – from the copepodite stage to adult lice.
Because it is delivered via medicated feed, they point out that it bypasses any need for fish handling or stressful intervention, significantly reducing injuries, morbidity and mortality. This improves fish welfare, leads to higher grading of the harvested fish and substantially enhances feed conversion ratios. In principle, fish treated for sea lice – following a prescription from an authorised veterinarian – continue to feed and grow during the one-week treatment period required to achieve the full effect of the prescribed medicine.
According to the company, a patent cooperation treaty (PCT) application has now been filed for Barracuda, based on the US patent priority date, with the intention to seek patent protection in all relevant countries and regions.
“We’re excited to bring this solution to the global stage,” said Michel Fortin, president and CEO of EVAH, in a press release.
“Sea lice have been a persistent, expensive, and painful challenge for too long in the farming of Atlantic salmon. While infestations occur naturally, the pressure on Atlantic farmed and also wild salmonids such as rainbow trout and Arctic charr has increased significantly. It’s time to offer the entire sector a solution that truly works – and it works with nature, not against it.”
The estimated annual cost of sea lice to the industry is expected to exceed $4 billion, encompassing direct treatment costs, but especially substantial indirect costs from injuries, morbidity, mortality of fish and quality downgrades. Over time, sea lice have developed resistance to widely used medicinal and chemical compounds, while alternative methods – such as chemical bath treatments or mechanical removals – present challenges around fish welfare, operational complexity, and environmental sustainability.
“The Atlantic salmon industry has reached a biological ceiling,” said Fortin. “Producers are battling the same parasite with increasingly ineffective tools. What’s needed is not just another workaround – but a real breakthrough.”
Simultaneous impact
Unlike existing bath or mechanical treatments – which cannot be simultaneously applied site-wide and have no duration of efficacy, often requiring repeat applications – EVAH’s solution can be simultaneously applied site wide, and to multiple farms, helping reset sea lice levels across entire fjord or bay systems.
“Barracuda is a true next-generation tool,” said Fortin. “It offers the efficacy of the best historical treatments, but with none of the environmental baggage and low risk factors for resistance. At the same time, it enables producers to simplify operations, improve fish welfare, reduce input costs – while also enhancing the quality of harvested fish. Ultimately, this translates into greater economic benefits for the entire industry.”
EVAH says that the treatment is not environmentally bioaccumulative and has no negative impact on fish welfare or fish health. By reducing the need for wellboats and involved mechanical equipment, including complicated logistics of wellboats and other equipment’s needed, it also reduces the carbon footprint of operations.
“Modern aquaculture cannot grow without novel solutions,” said Fortin. “The grant of the US patent – followed by a PCT application covering all relevant markets – is a strong validation for EVAH’s approach to solving structural problems in animal protein production through science and sustainability, while protecting the company’s IP.”
