An image from an animation on the Blue Lice website. Lice are said to be attracted to lights mounted on a mooring frame outside the cage and are then sucked into a trap. The lights fold down when access is required to the pens.

Lice 'fly trap' wins innovation award

Magnus J. Marøy
Journalist
Published

A company that uses light to attract and trap sea lice before they enter a salmon pen has won Norway’s Seafood Innovation Award.

Blue Lice was selected from a shortlist of 11 finalists and was voted for by both the jury and the public.

“The winner tackles an enormous cost, welfare and reputational problem for the industry,” said Trude Jansen Hagland from NCE Seafood Innovation on behalf of the jury.

“Blue Lice started up in 2017, and since then has faced difficulties and recovered several times. This is a winning team who have had great faith in their innovation and have never considered giving up. They are now bigger and stronger than ever. Blue Lice is a worthy winner with enormous growth potential that we look forward to continuing with in the future.”

NOK 100,000 prize

The company receives a NOK 100,000 prize and other benefits including advice and services in trademark or patent applications, marketing strategy, networking, design and 3D modelling.

According to its website, Blue Lice’s traps work in the same way that flies are attracted to light, only against salmon lice in the sea.

The trap system is installed so that it doesn’t obstruct daily operations.

“In addition to light, we use a suction in each trap which ensures that we effectively capture the salmon lice that enter your farm,” Blue Lice states.

Karoline Sjødal Olsen, general manager of Blue Lice, accepted the award during the North Atlantic Seafood Conference in Bergen.
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