Recent research indicates sea lice are a major problem for down-bound pink salmon. The study predicted the entire population of pinks would be virtually distroyed in FOUR years! The unnatural presence of adult, sea lice infested salmon at the river mouths causes the wild fish to pass through a rain of lice in various life stages and the parasite load it puts on them is dramatic.
Adults would have little problem with a bunch of lice, but the pink smolts are all collecting many and it kills them. Pinks do not spend any time in the rivers, but rather head out as soon as they hatch. Other flavors of Pacific salmon are far larger fish when they go through the parasite rain.
As I wrote a couple weeks ago, I witnessed several dollies picking sea lice from chromer cohoes on Kodiak. I had heard they eat sea lice, but was not sure I believed it. I believe now!
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