Wild salmon migration routes influence sea lice infestations: An agent-based model predicting farm-related infestations on juvenile salmon.

ABSTRACT: This study presents an Agent-Based Model (ABM) simulation to assess the impact of varying migration routes on sea lice (Caligus clemensi) infestation levels in juvenile wild sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) in the Discovery Islands, British Columbia, Canada. This research highlights the importance of migratory routes in determining the extent of exposure to sea lice originating from nearby salmon farms. Three northward out-migration routes were modelled, each exposing the fish to different levels of infestation pressure based on proximity to salmon farms. The ABM incorporates spatially explicit migration patterns of juvenile sockeye salmon using a detailed raster map of the Discovery Islands. Key variables such as swimming speed, progression rate, and infestation levels were integrated

SUBMITTER: Jeong J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11335166 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature