Since long ago, mythical creatures, Santas, religion and miracles have been in the center of the Holiday season. In modern times, consumer culture and essential life values are put in contrast to each other. No matter how you look at it: Christmas gives us time to reflect. Here is a new perspective from a hopeful salmon…:At Christmas time, even a farmed salmon should be allowed to make some wishes. I won't pretend that they're moderate, and I don't expect them to be fulfilled all at once, but if they do, I can look forward to a healthy and stress-free new year.
Being a farmed salmon has some benefits that our wild relatives should envy us. Food is served every day, and we don't have to prepare for leaner times. The cage protects us from predators, and our farmers are working day and night to ensure we have optimal conditions to prosper and grow.
However, having so many roommates does come with a few challenges, and one of my primary concerns is the risk of lice infestation. Unfortunately, most of us will experience at least one lice attack, which often leads to exhausting lice treatments. Some of us don't endure this extreme process and will never achieve the dream of becoming tasty and nutritious human food.
Not everything makes you stronger
Lice treatments are very stressing. It's the ultimate chaos, where no one understands where to go or what to do. When it's finally over, we're too exhausted to even think about eating for several days. It's a massive burden on our bodies, and we are put back in both weight and immunity.
Therefore, my biggest wish for Christmas is to be spared from more lice treatments. It would have such a positive effect on me and my pals in the cage. A stress-free daily life would improve our wellbeing, health and weight, and make us all very happy. Because, you know, farmed salmon are never quite satisfied with the bodyweight. We always wish we could gain a few more pounds.
Large gift under the hamster wheel tree
I am confident that my caretakers only want what's best for me. But the way I see it, they don't have the necessary equipment to fulfill my biggest wish. That is why I wish for a big and heavy gift this Christmas. It's called a tube net and it's a wonderful device for us farmed salmon.
A tube net will keep the lice apart from us. Or rather, it will keep us apart from the lice. It helps us reside at depths where the lice infestation is close to zero. When we need to fill our swim bladders, we swim through a protective tunnel to the surface. There, we have protection from lice, and we can safely return to favorable depths without bringing the troublesome parasite with us. Back at 10-20 meters depth, we can relax, eat, and live sound, stress-free days.
Read more: Tube net reduced lice infestation with 80 percent
The best farmers in the world
To fulfill my biggest wish, the best farmers in the world also need to change the way they work. It is quite likely that they'll also need a few more colleagues. A tube net, which is basically a net inside the net, will namely require more handling and extra effort for the farmers. Like maintenance of two nets and more work with winches and stuff when they, for example, need to move the cameras inside the pen.
But there is more, and I know I might sound pushy; A tube net costs quite a few bucks.
Give, and you shall receive
So why risk wishing for such an expensive gift which, on top of everything, creates extra costs and labor? Well, the answer is simple: I am 100% positive that the tube net will generate savings that quickly exceed the disadvantages. I know the people who design the tube net has made several and extensive tests, with results that are almost too good to believe. You should contact them if you would like to have a look at the documentation.
Merry Cagemas
The prospect of a stress-free year without potential life-threatening lice treatments is a fantastic thought for everyone spending Christmas in a cage. Imagining a year with improved welfare, without the threat of lice treatments hanging over our dorsal fins, almost makes me wag my tail fin in joy. I am convinced that my owners will give me a tube net when they find out how much more profit they can make from spoiling me.
In the spirit of Christmas, I would like to end my letter with a wish for my good pals the Cleaner fish. For optimal protection, I would love to bring them with me in the tube net, but for those who will remain in ordinary pens, facing a massive workload, I would like to bring forth a little prayer: Dear fish farmer - use a Flexi-Panel when you are ready to harvest. This way, the Cleaner fish will remain in the pen while the rest of us, who have gained a decent amount of weight over Christmas, will follow to the next step.
I wish everyone with a heart beating for us farmed salmon a Very Merry Cagemas and a Happy Net Year!
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