With fish cage skirts increasingly becoming a integral tool for improving prevention strategies against Caligus infestations, acting as a physical barrier between farmed salmon and sea lice challenges, Garware has developed its new X12 skirt.
Deployed at depths ranging from 6 to 9 metres, Garware’s Skirt X12 is made from an exclusive fabric that prevents the entry of the early stages of Caligus whilst also enabling adequate water exchanges of water.
“Our R&D department developed a three-dimensional fabric with an opening of 80 to 150 microns for Norway, and a second generation of 60 to 100 microns for Chile…With this solution we are aligned with the global change underway [that focuses on] the well-being of fish and sustainable aquaculture,” said Marcos Jofré, business associate at Garware Technical Fibres.
The X12 skirt is a non-pharmacological preventative measure to minimise sea lice risks. It can be used as part of a health strategy that reduces the use of chemicals, said Garware, with bath frequencies potentially halved and sea lice numbers reduced by up to 60%.
“The reduction in the frequency of chemicals use is in itself a desired goal, not only because of its cost, but also because it lengthens the useful life of the chemicals, delaying the generation of resistance by the parasite. We know that monospecific strategies, based exclusively on chemicals, have shown the generation of long-term resistance,” said Francisco Serra, Commercial Manager at Garware Technical Fibres Chile.
Among its technical characteristics, Garware highlighted that the X12 has a high resistance to abrasion, is easy to install and clean and is also available V2 biofoul delaying technology.
