An international team of researchers is testing whether common anti-inflammatory drugs could offer a better way to treat gill disease in farmed Atlantic salmon, which costs the global aquaculture industry millions each year.
The project, GILLMED, brings together researchers from CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, alongside Patogen, Moredun Scientific, Nautilus Collaboration and Mowi. It is funded by the Norwegian Seafood Research Fund (FHF).
Complex gill disease (CGD) is a leading cause of fish death on salmon farms. It is caused by a mix of biological, husbandry and environmental factors, including parasite, bacteria, jellyfish and algae.
Current treatments for marine gill disorders include hydrogen peroxide and freshwater baths. These require handling of fish and are not always effective. New, less invasive and more reliable approaches are urgently needed.
Dr James Wynne, principal research scientist at CSIRO, said GILLMED would take a new approach by exploring well-known anti-inflammatory drugs already used in veterinary medicine to provide symptomatic relief for complex gill disease in farmed salmonids.
"We're committed to ensuring these treatments are safe – protecting fish health, supporting farmers, and protecting consumers," said Dr Wynne.
"Norwegian salmon farmers are deeply committed to maintaining good gill health in their fish. They allocate 0.3 per cent of all export income to research, and in close dialogue with the industry, FHF have prioritised novel research into anti-inflammatory drugs to control complex gill disease in Atlantic salmon," said Morten Lund, director R&D fish health and welfare at FHF.
"We hope the results will be useful for the aquaculture industry," he added.
The project will assess the safety and effectiveness of four non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) – including meloxicam, ketoprofen and carprofen – for use as oral treatment. These drugs are already approved in food-producing animals in Norway and the UK but have not yet been tested in fish.
Researchers will test safe doses of the drugs, trial their effectiveness in treating gill disease in Atlantic salmon, study how the fish respond at a biological level, and explore whether the treatments could be used on commercial farms.
The final results will be presented at the bi-annual Gill Health Initiative conference in 2027.
Going forward, GILLMED aims to support veterinarians and salmon producers with new treatment options by providing scientific evidence to inform regulatory approvals.
