Norway’s salmon farming industry is increasingly turning to artificial intelligence and laser technology to tackle one of its biggest challenges: sea lice. More than 3,500 specialised underwater robotic units are now operating across Norwegian salmon farms, reportedly protecting over 112 million farmed fish.
The technology, developed by Oslo-based Stingray Marine Solutions, uses underwater cameras, artificial intelligence and targeted laser pulses to identify and eliminate sea lice attached to salmon. The approach offers an alternative to conventional chemical treatments and aims to reduce stress on farmed fish.
How Do the Underwater Robots Work?
The robotic systems operate inside salmon farming pens, continuously monitoring fish as they swim.
Underwater cameras capture images of passing salmon, while artificial intelligence analyses the images to identify sea lice on their bodies. Once a parasite is detected, the system directs a precise laser pulse towards it.
Specialised blue lighting improves the visibility of parasites against the fish’s body, helping the system distinguish sea lice from the salmon itself.
The process, known as optical delousing, allows the robots to target individual parasites without requiring farmers to remove or handle the fish for treatment. The systems can operate continuously, providing round-the-clock monitoring.
Why Is Sea Lice Control Important in Salmon Farming?
Sea lice are parasitic crustaceans that attach themselves to salmon and feed on their skin, mucus and tissues. Heavy infestations can cause skin damage, stress and poor fish health, while increasing the risk of mortality.
Sea lice management is therefore a major operational challenge for salmon farmers.
Traditional control methods include chemical treatments and other delousing procedures. However, repeated treatments can cause stress and physical injuries to fish. Chemical use can also create environmental concerns, while repeated exposure may contribute to treatment resistance in parasite populations.
Laser-based systems offer a more targeted approach by identifying and removing individual parasites while fish remain inside their farming pens.
3,500 Robots Protect More Than 112 Million Fish
According to figures reported from Stingray Marine Solutions’ latest annual report, more than 3,500 robotic units have been deployed along Norway’s salmon farming coast.
The systems reportedly protect over 112 million fish, representing approximately 20–25% of Norway’s farmed salmon population.
The deployment has expanded by around 1,000 units over the previous year, making it one of the larger commercial applications of AI-powered technology in aquaculture.
Apart from parasite control, the camera systems also collect information that can help farmers monitor fish health and observe conditions inside farming pens.
Can This Technology Replace Chemical Treatments Completely?
Although laser-based parasite control offers several advantages, it is not without limitations.
The technology requires significant initial investment, which may make adoption difficult for smaller farming operations. Its effectiveness also depends on the area covered by the robotic units.
Since the systems operate within farming pens, sea lice outside their monitoring range or in areas with poor visibility may not be detected.
The technology is therefore better understood as a tool for continuous monitoring and preventive parasite management rather than a complete replacement for every existing treatment method.
What Does This Mean for the Future of Aquaculture?
Norway’s adoption of underwater AI robots demonstrates how automation and precision technology are becoming part of modern fish farming.
By combining artificial intelligence, underwater imaging and targeted laser systems, salmon producers are exploring ways to improve parasite management while reducing unnecessary handling and treatment stress.
For the wider aquaculture industry, the development offers an important example of how technology can address fish-health challenges at commercial scale. As fish farming expands globally, similar innovations could play an increasingly important role in disease surveillance, animal welfare and efficient farm management