An extreme outbreak of salmon lice in Iceland has resulted in an average of 96 lice found on each salmon, causing outrage and protests against Norwegian fish farming companies.

Northern Harvest Sea Farms is busy cleaning pens of dead salmon, and the province's head aquaculture vet says higher-than-average water temperatures are to blame.

Major sea lice epidemics have erupted on Atlantic salmon fish farms on Vancouver Island’s west coast over the last three months, according to industry, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and independent reports.

New rules to combat sea lice have angered Norway’s important aquaculture industry. But environmental groups want to go much further.